To Love An Admiral
by atheniangoddess
Summary: Cassandra Lockhart and James Norrington work together against Cutler Beckett, expecting to get the heart of Davy Jones to free her father. But what they didn't expect was falling for each other.
1. Chapter 1 So We Meet Again

**Author's Apology: I just wanted to say I am so sorry for deleting my last story. In the process of deleting it, it also deleted your comments and I realized that was a stupid move. I should have just replaced the chapters but I wanted to start new. I am so sorry again.**

**This is a new chapter again. My ideas keep changing but I want to make it as good as possible. :)**

Chapter 1

So We Meet Again, Port Royal

Cassandra Lockhart stood at the rail of the _Yangfeng _and watched the horizon with keen brown eyes. The Chinese merchant ship was nearing Port Royal. Her destination.

The port city was a long-lost friend she was glad to see again. Next to Port York, it had become a second home to her.

She grinned as the wind caressed her skin and playfully tousled her thick dark hair. It would be a mess but she didn't care. She was too busy enjoying the swell of the waves and the fresh, crisp air.

She closed her eyes and-

A voice cut through her wandering thoughts. "Are you ready?"

Cassandra turned to see a Chinese member of the crew, Lee, who was looking at her with inquiring eyes.

She frowned and gave him a funny look, not understanding what he meant by ready. Lee Ming chuckled, pointing to the harbour.

"To get off when we reach the harbour." he explained with a smile.

"Oh!" Cassandra laughed at herself and nodded. "Yes, yes I am." Cassandra's stomach rumbled for a moment with apprehension. She really _wasn't _ready.

She made her way down the companionway while the sailors reefed the sails and prepared to dock. She had to grab all her things before they moored the ship in the harbour. Her heart pounded with anticipation and excitement. She couldn't wait to arrive but she also wasn't looking forward to speaking with the naval officers who patrolled the shores.

Cassandra sighed heavily. She would have to go through them and explain why a young woman like her was traveling with a bunch of sailors.

_I can make up a good story, _she thought, making a face and shrugging nonchalantly. Cassandra pinned her hair back in place and put on her white cap, wishing she had a mirror to see it properly. Life on a ship for the past few months had not been easy; the weather had been unpredictable and she had to live in cramped conditions...Not only that- she had also had the added _bonus _of boredom and loneliness, and was forced to eat dry, salty food _all the time_.

But it had come to pass, like all things. Now she had other things to worry about, like how she was going to get past the guards.

She walked to the sleeping quarters and grabbed her brown satchel. She opened it and reached inside to pull out a bottle. She needed to hide it so the naval guards wouldn't find it. Cassandra tucked the bottle inside her skirt pocket and put her apron over it.

Smoothing her apron over, she looked down at her satchel, full of extra clothes and tied it shut. Cassandra then readjusted her cap and with a determined stance, hurried up the companionway.

Naval soldiers slowly approached the _Yangfeng _when they spied it gliding into the harbour of Port Royal. Cassandra stood at the fore of the ship, near the bow, and swallowed hard as she watched them walk toward the ship.

Figures of authority dressed in solemn blue, crisp white and striking gold. With unsmiling faces.

_Oh well, they have to look serious. Or else no one would take them seriously. _Cassandra reminded herself.

She took a deep breath and as they approached she realized that one of the soldiers was Gillette. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise and she watched him, waiting to see if he'd recognize her or not.

"Hello there!" Gillette called to the captain, Tsai Hui. Hui, a man of average height with a long, greying beard, moved toward the edge of the ship. Cassandra watched as the men lowered the anchor.

"Hello." Hui said calmly. Before Gillette could say another word, the crew lowered the plank and ladders. The captain motioned for the sailors to walk down onto the dock with cargo. Cassandra moved to follow them down the plank.

But as she did, she felt like someone was watching her. She obeyed her instinct and turned to look, and met Gillette's gaze.

When she turned to him, he blinked in bafflement and smiled slightly. "Cassandra?" he called. "Is that you?"

Cassandra cringed inwardly. She had hoped that no one would know she was here. But she had run the small risk of that by coming here and not exactly concealing herself.

She smiled and made her way down the plank. "Yes, it's me!" she responded with just as much fervour. Her brown satchel bag swung as she hurried towards him.

When they were in front of each other, Gillette observed her with a somewhat baffled expression. "How did you get here?" he asked, his brow furrowed. "James told me he had last seen you on an island in the Caribbean..."

Cassandra's anger flared for a moment and she pursed her lips to suppress her anger, but it was no use. It came tumbling out anyway.

"Of course _he_ would say that." she replied sharply, eyes flashing. Gillette stepped back from her a bit, surprised by her sudden anger.

"Well...James will be happy to see you!" Gillette remarked.

"Really, why?" Cassandra asked curiously.

Gillette shrugged with a nonchalant expression. "Groves and I were wondering what had happened to you since then, James too."

Cassandra broke out into a smile. "Oh...well that was very sweet," she said. "It's good to know _somebody _cares."

Gillette observed her carefully. "You seem a bit...angry."

Cassandra didn't respond to him for a moment, stunned that he could read her so well. "No, no I'm fine..." she lied. She waved a hand and added, "I'm just a little bit agitated from the trip, that's all."

Gillette let out a little laugh. "Well, not all of us can handle sea life..." he remarked.

She shook her head. "No, I'm glad I'm in Port Royal...You wouldn't need to interrogate me by any chance would you?"

"Not unless you're up to no good." he quipped with a smile.

Cassandra laughed nervously. "Me? Never."

"Where will you stay?" he asked.

She shrugged. "At the tavern." she answered nonchalantly.

Gillette frowned. "I'm sure James would offer you space at his estate. Let me tell him"-

"Oh it's fine," she interrupted. "Really it is. I don't want to impose on James."

Gillette shook his head. "But you won't be. Here stay here, I'll go get him." With that, Gillette quickly left to go find James.

Cassandra turned to go but stopped when she saw the look on one of the naval soldier's faces. There was no way she'd sneak past the navy. She inwardly cursed herself, _stupid move, Cassandra. _She sighed and crossed her arms as she waited. _He_ was someone she didn't want to see.

She didn't have to wait long though; soon enough Gillette was back with James trailing behind him. She watched him with a cold expression. She hardly recognized him- his face seemed a little fuller, like he may have gained some weight, and he looked very weary like he was tired of the world. James's pace slowed as he saw her in the flesh and his green eyes widened.

"Cassandra..." he said with disbelief and elation. "You're... alive," he remarked, still in disbelief. He came to stop in front of her and she instinctively took a step back. He smiled at her. "I'm so glad you're all right..."

She could see and hear the genuine honesty but she knew not to trust him so easily. Not after what had happened.

"A little late, don't you think?" she asked coldly.

James blinked. Clearly he had not been expecting her to be so blunt. His cheery expression faded into distress.

His brow furrowed and his green eyes searched hers. "Cassandra"-

"It's all right, James," she interrupted. "You don't have to explain. I completely understand."

"This didn't work out as well as I thought it would..." Gillette remarked with a disappointed face. He was standing beside them a few meters away, listening to their conversation.

James passed him an irritated look and sighed.

Cassandra ignored it and spoke up. "If you'll kindly allow me to go gentlemen, then I'll be out of your way and on my way through town." she remarked with raised eyebrows.

"Well I see no reason to keep you here..." Gillette answered as he squinted in the sunlight. He looked at James and Cassandra inwardly cringed, not wanting to wait for his authorization.

James looked from Gillette to her and after a moment asked, "Where are you going?"

"To the tavern." she and Gillette answered at the same time.

"There's no need for that," he responded. "I'd be happy to assist you with accommodations."

"See?" Gillette put in.

Cassandra narrowed her eyes at Gillette and then turned her attention back to James. "No thank you. That's taken care of. Goodbye." she said and turned around to walk away.

As she was walking down the dock though, James followed her and said her name. Cassandra rolled her eyes and grudgingly turned around to face him just as he was walking towards her.

"Yes?" she asked annoyed.

After taking a look at her angry expression, he sighed wearily, a look of regret on his face. His green eyes were steady and calm. "I know you're mad at me..." he started. Cassandra looked away as he spoke. "And I'm sorry for what I did. If I could, I would fix it."

Cassandra turned her eyes to his, shaking her head sadly. She saw the earnestness in his eyes but she couldn't bring herself to believe him.

"I just don't trust you anymore, James." she admitted, her voice sad.

"I'm sorry Cassandra..." he said quietly, his voice filled with regret.

Cassandra looked down and swallowed nervously. She turned away. "I...I have to go." she said, and without another word or glance, walked away from him.

James stood there a moment and watched her form walk away, wondering if she would ever forgive him. Normally she was a very gentle and mild woman, and so it was very unlike her to be so angry. But he could understand her anger.

He sighed and turned away after she had disappeared from sight. _There's no point in sulking about it if she doesn't care to be around me, _he thought.

James shook his head and straightened, walking back to where the _Yangfeng _was still unloading. If there was one thing that was still constant in this world it was work. Things still needed to be done.

Groves approached him with a report. "This report needs to be given to Beckett. It's a record of all the ships that have come in this morning and activity observed on the waters."

James took the report. "Bad or good?" he asked as he flipped through it.

"Good. It seems like Beckett's tactics have scared off the pirates. We've only seen merchant ships in the waters so far..." he said.

"Hmm," James murmured thoughtfully. He closed the report with finality. "Good."

Groves left him and James made his way up to Beckett's office. The spacious and plush office was located in the stone fortress, which stretched over the entire shoreline of Port Royal. The fortress was not only a symbol of strength but of power. Beckett had strengthened this idea of power when he had arrived and taken over Port Royal.

James stopped in front of the glass doors of his office and waited for Mercer to leave. Beckett's office was situated right in front of the harbour so Beckett could keep a close watch. Mercer saw James and turned back to Beckett.

A second later James heard Beckett's voice. "Come in Admiral." he commanded shortly.

James had been elevated to the position of Admiral, as a reward in exchange for Davy Jones's heart. A year ago a promotion would have been important to James but after all that he had lost it didn't mean anything to him.

He walked into the office which had a warm interior to it despite Beckett's cold demeanour. Elegant chairs with intricate wood carvings sat in front of the fireplace to his left, along with various gold-lined law books on a bookshelf. A map of the world, enlarged, lined the wall ahead of him and to his right sat Beckett's desk, in front of a large window, flanked by heavy velvet curtains of a beige color.

The man at the desk was small but the power he exuded was immense. He looked inexpressive as usual, a calm, observant look on his face. He looked up at James.

"What do you have for me?" he asked a trace of curiosity in his voice.

James walked up to the desk and held out the folder. "A report of the ships seen this morning."

Beckett took it and flipped through the report. He then closed it with an unimpressed "Mhm."

James stood there a moment, not sure what to do. Beckett leaned back in his chair and sighed as he looked at the report on his desk. Finally he spoke.

"We must observe everyone with the utmost degree of suspicion," he told him. He looked up at James with stern green eyes. "Remember that everyone is a suspect. No one can be trusted. Keep looking for any suspicious activity," he told him. "I have a feeling that we haven't rid the Caribbean of all pirates yet."

"Yes, I'll get right on that." James answered, turning around and walking quickly toward the open door. As James came out of the office, he stopped at the balcony, disturbed at what had occurred to him as he had listened to Beckett. Everyone was a possible suspect and that included Cassandra. He had no idea why she was in Port Royal...but he had to find out.


	2. Chapter 2 Midnight Marauder

Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean, the Pirates of the Caribbean storyline or its characters.

Chapter 2

Midnight Marauder

The tavern was a long, rectangular building, positioned in the middle of town. Before she had walked in, Cassandra had taken notice of the round, red sign covered in gold letters above the doorway; the lengthy windows framed in green; the wrap-around balcony and the sturdy, dark wood exterior.

Now she stood in the middle of the tavern, looking around at the lower- and middle -class men sitting at the tables; talking, laughing and drinking. The tavern was dim, and the only light came from the large bay windows spread around the tavern. Paintings and wood-panelling covered the walls. Two staircases, one at each side, led to the second floor.

Straight ahead a burly man with black hair stood at the bar, busy filling mugs with beer. She took a deep breath and walked over to the man. Around him barmaids shuffled to deliver beer to customers. As she approached he looked up and placed a mug on the counter. A barmaid reached out and snatched it, quickly walking over to a table.

He leaned a hand on the counter and looked at her expectantly. "What can I do for you, Miss?"

Cassandra reached into her pocket and pulled out a few dozen coins. "I'd like to stay here for a couple of nights."

The man pursed his lips in thought. "You sure you don't want to work here?" he asked, sounding skeptical. Cassandra could understand his confusion—she was a young woman, alone at a tavern.

She smiled and shook her head. "No thank you. I'm just here to stay." She had had her share of tavern experience in Tortuga, and it was not pleasant.

She slapped the coins down on the counter in front of him. He looked at the coins for a moment and then asked, "Listen, do you have any relatives that you can stay with?"

Cassandra looked into his dark eyes. The barkeeper looked genuinely concerned.

She shook her head. "No, I'm afraid this is the only option I have..." she replied. She looked around. "But I have a feeling I'll be fine here." she added, giving him a smile.

The man smiled back at her and reluctantly took the money. "Alright..." he said. He scooped up the money and glanced behind him at a barmaid. "Lilly will take you up to your room."

Lilly, a shapely woman with curly red hair, turned around in surprise, blinking at Cassandra. She had been in the middle of work. She set the mug on the counter for another maid to take and motioned for Cassandra to follow her.

"Come on," she said briskly. The shapely barmaid hitched up her skirt a little as she walked up the steps and Cassandra did the same. From the corner of her eye, she saw men watching them as they ascended, and she felt a bit uncomfortable.

She started to wonder if staying in a tavern among men was a good idea. She was anxious about it but her goal always pushed her forward. She would do anything to reach that goal, even if it meant risking her own safety.

Lilly sauntered up the steps with a nonchalant, easy swing of her hips. Cassandra noticed she got many glances as they passed by. Lilly walked through the men standing around and turned down a corridor lined with rooms on both sides. A window was at the far end, looking out at the coast.

Other than questionable moral character of the tavern, Cassandra thought it was actually quite nice. It had an ocean view and it was clean and nicely furnished. Cassandra glanced at the painting on the wall as Lilly turned again down another corridor that was adjacent to the smaller corridor they had just walked down.

She waited behind Lilly as she opened the door to a room with a key. When she finally opened it, she threw the door wide open and stepped aside for Cassandra. "Here's your room..." she said.

Cassandra thanked her and when Lilly left she shut the door behind her, locking it. As she walked further into the room, she sighed deeply and stretched. She was exhausted after her three- month- long trip and she had never been so relieved to see a bed.

The room was small and simple with wood floors, beams and walls. A bed sat in the corner by the window. She caught a glimpse of the palm trees and water through the window, and walked over to it, opening it a little to breathe in the fresh air.

She rested her elbows on the windowsill and looked out at the water, and at once she thought of James when she saw the docks.

Her shoulders fell. Walking away from him had not been easy. She knew what kind of man he was but she just couldn't find it in her heart to forgive or trust him. He had broken that trust and disappointed her. He had shattered her dreams about noble and courageous men.

She was angry at him too.

She looked down at the windowsill, trying to calm all of her emotions.

It was hard to put him out of her mind though, because she kept seeing those green eyes. And sometimes she would hear his voice, as if he were in the room with her.

She sighed and closed her eyes, snapping the window shut in frustration. Cassandra scowled and sat down on her bed with crossed arms.

"He can't know why I'm here anyways..." she said to herself. "It's better to keep him at a distance."

Tired, she turned on her side and lay down. She mentally went over the things that she had to do. Tonight she would go to the fortress and find what she was looking for.

* * *

"I think she's up to something," James said to Groves, who looked stunned. The two men stood in one of the pavilions of the fortress. The town was becoming quiet, just like it did every night around this time. Tropical birds sang and called from the nearby trees, dogs barked in the distance. The waves receded and crashed, again and again. The sky was slightly orange and pinky.

The air was starting to cool. James actually felt comfortable for once in his stiff uniform.

Groves furrowed his brow. "Cassandra?" he asked skeptically. He pursed his lips in thought and shook his head. "I don't think she's capable of sneaking past us."

James crossed his arms over his chest and frowned. "I don't know..." he murmured. "I think she's capable of it." He shook his head. "I think you're underestimating her." He gave Groves a sideways look.

Groves looked away. "Maybe so...but I just don't think she's that sly. She looks far too innocent." he commented, smirking a bit.

"Yet she still managed to sneak aboard our ship." James pointed out, smiling smugly.

"Hmm... you do have a point there..." he admitted.

"Which is exactly why we need to keep an eye on her," James replied. He moved around the pavilion. "I can't figure out why she's here alone. Elizabeth's not here. Jack's not here, at least to my knowledge..." he trailed off.

Shock appeared on Groves' face. "What if she's working with Jack and he's just hiding out somewhere, planning something?"

"It's possible."

"Should we interrogate her?"

"No, she'll evade our questions. It would be better to watch her and see what she does in the next couple of days..."

* * *

Cassandra's eyes opened as she came out of a light sleep. She blinked, disoriented for a moment, and when she saw the dusky sky outside, she quickly sat up. She regretted doing so and put a hand to her head. Drowsiness gripped her and she wanted nothing more than to close her eyes again. But even so, she slid to the edge of the bed and got up. She padded over to the window and groggily looked out at the street.

It was fairly quiet with only a few people passing by. The gaslights were already being lit, which signalled night. She looked at the sky. It was painted a periwinkle blue and the sun had been carefully placed on the horizon, touching the calm water.

For a moment Cassandra was awed. It was so beautiful she wanted to cry. She was sure that no sight like this could be created by man. She had once heard a story of creation where God had crafted the earth in seven days. Ever since, she had thought of him as an omnipresent, powerful being in the sky. Something conjured out of a fairytale.

But this was no fairytale. This was real, touchable...

And it made her wonder if her fate had been crafted...or if life was.

It had been a strange journey to say the least.

Boisterous laughter from the hall brought her back to the present and she shut the window, walking over to the bed where her bag laid. She took it off the bed and placed it on the floor. Then she made her way downstairs as her stomach growled. Her plan could wait a little while, but for now she needed something to eat.

The tavern was even rowdier now that it was late evening. Cassandra glanced at the window. The sun had almost set and the sky was darker.

She picked an empty table in the middle of the tavern. She received a couple of glances. She pulled her hat down farther on her head, trying to divert attention from herself.

A couple minutes later a barmaid stopped at her table. "What can I get for you, ma'am? " she asked, a pleasant smile on her face.

Cassandra smiled back. "Ale please, and what meals do you have for supper?"

"Salmon with carrots and potatoes, or oysters with bread."

"Alright, I think I'll take the salmon."

The maid nodded and went to put in her order. Cassandra waited and mulled over her plan but the people in the tavern were distracting. The table next to her was full of men arm wrestling and gambling, the table in the far corner to the right was full of gentlemen; in deep discussion, most likely about politics or business, and all around her the rest were laughing and joking.

As Cassandra took another look around the room she suddenly felt a pair of eyes on her. Scanning the room she found the culprit. Sitting a few tables away from her was Gillette.

Her eyes widened when she noticed him. Gillette smiled at her and waved. Cassandra started and quickly turned away. She lowered her head and pretended she didn't know him. She glanced at him again and saw him walking towards her.

"Hello Cassandra." he said cheerfully, mug of beer in hand.

She blinked and offered a hesitant smile. "Hi-hi..." she stuttered. There was a smile on her face but her gaze was uneasy as she stared at him. _Calm down, Cassandra, _she chastised herself. "I didn't recognize you at first." she lied.

Gillette shrugged casually. "Well, I recognized you! That's why I came over here..." he said.

She smiled and chuckled nervously. The barmaid arrived with her drink and meal then, and set them on the table in front of her. "Thank you," she said, looking up at her. She turned back to Gillette. "You must be off duty." she noted, staring at the mug in his hand.

"Yes, I am. But I figured I could watch the city anyway," he reasoned. "Half the city's action is here anyway."

A silence followed and she picked up her fork and knife. She cut into the pink salmon and took a bite, savouring the taste. Much better than ship food.

She glanced at him and noticed that he was glancing every so often around the tavern and at the windows. He turned his gaze back to her and she started, surprised at being caught staring at him. She looked down at her food.

"So what are you up to?" he asked curiously. "I can't remember the last time I saw you..." he mused, furrowing his brow in thought.

"It must have been since the shipwreck," she supplied helpfully.

"Ah...yes. In Tortuga," he said. His pressed his lips together grimly and shook his head. "That was awful..." he added, a frown on his face.

"But we survived..." Cassandra pointed out. She smiled and took a sip of her drink.

He smiled back. "Yes," he agreed. He raised his mug. "Cheers to that."

She grinned and picked up her mug to tap against his. "Cheers." she murmured before taking a drink.

"You were looking for your parents the last time I saw you. Did you ever find them?" he asked.

Cassandra looked down at the table. "I found my mother but not my father..." she trailed off sadly.

"Oh...I'm sorry about that," Gillette answered, sympathetic. "But that's good that you found your mother. Better to have one than to lose both."

"That's true." Cassandra remarked quietly, turning her mug around in her hands.

"_Is _your mother here with you?" Gillette asked suddenly, folding his arms on the table and leaning forward.

Cassandra glanced up at him in surprise, but it quickly turned into caution. "No," she answered slowly. "She's not."

Gillette peered at her closely. "Why would she not be here with you?" he asked, puzzled.

Cassandra shrugged. "She doesn't like ships. I can handle them, she can't. Simple as that."

Gillette exhaled slowly, his patience dwindling. "What are you doing here Cassandra?" he finally asked.

Cassandra stared at him. "Enjoying life."

He seemed surprised at her answer.

"Maybe I just want to _be_ here. Maybe I want to _live_ here." she told him.

Gillette frowned and cocked his head. "But wouldn't you want to live with your mother?"

Cassandra sighed. "Why do I feel like I'm being interrogated, Lieutenant?"

"Because you are being interrogated," he countered. He straightened in his seat. "Lord Beckett is executing anyone suspected of or guilty of piracy, and you are not exempt from that."

Cassandra paled for a moment and felt a cold, dark fear overtake her. If she actually succeeded in her plan, she could face execution...

She shook her head and brought herself back to the present. "Well, I am no pirate, Lieutenant," she piped up amiably as she got up from her seat. "I just want to earn an honest living and live an honest life." The barmaid came back around and both of them put their pay on the table.

She stared straight into his eyes and he seemed to believe her. "Well..." he started, grabbing his mug and getting up as well. "Just be careful of who you talk to and associate yourself with," he warned her. "Despite my position as a lieutenant, I wouldn't want to see you hang, Cassandra...and I'm sure James wouldn't either."

Cassandra nodded.

"Goodbye, Cassandra. Have a good night." he said with a smile.

"You too, Gillette." she answered, smiling back. He turned and left, taking his mug with him. Cassandra made her way to the stairwell, looking over her shoulder at Gillette.

He seemed just as surprised as she was to find him staring back at her. She waved to make it less awkward. He smiled uneasily and waved back before walking out of the tavern. Cassandra stood by the stairwell, making sure he had left. He glanced at the front window of the tavern and Cassandra hurried up the steps, wanting to get out of his viewpoint.

_That talk certainly made my night, _she thought sarcastically as she made her way up to her room.

As soon as she reached her room, Cassandra undressed and changed into the man's outfit she had brought- trousers, a white shirt, long jacket, boots and a tricone hat.

"I wouldn't want to see you hang Cassandra..." she muttered as she slipped into the white shirt. "How nice. What a charmer."

Walking over to the mirror, she adjusted the leather belt strapped across her body and surveyed the weapons on it. She had a loaded pistol, a long knife and a small dagger tucked inside her boot. And of course, she had the strange bottle, tucked inside her coat pocket.

Cassandra touched it lightly and moved toward the door. She had to get this done. It was now or never.

* * *

Cassandra always seems to be up to something, doesn't she? R&R if you like. :)


	3. Chapter 3 Close But No Heart

Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean, its storyline or its characters. I am only using it for recreational writing.

Close But No Heart

James was patrolling the fort when he caught sight of Gillette. The lieutenant looked alert and eager to talk as always. By now night had fallen over the Caribbean. A breeze cooled James' skin. When weather was like this, he actually enjoyed his night shifts.

"What did you find out?" he asked him.

Gillette came to a stop. "Well, her mother isn't here with her. It seems like both of them are fine with that," he declared. He paused and gave him a strange look. "You don't think that there could be a feud between them or something? Perhaps Cassandra was going to do something that her mother didn't agree with..." he mused.

"Yes, but what?" James asked impatiently. He paced away from him and then sharply faced Gillette again. "Did she tell you anything more?"

Gillette shook his head. "No, she evaded all of my questions, like you said."

James pursed his lips. "We'll keep an eye on her. I hope she doesn't try anything risky." He walked over to the ledge and looked out over the water, his back to Gillette.

"Should I tell the rest of the navy to watch for her?" Gillette asked.

"No, I don't want to arouse too much suspicion," James said, giving him a sidelong glance. "They'll think she's a criminal if we alert them about her."

"I don't think she'll try anything stupid," Gillette assured him. "I told her about the punishment for piracy."

James turned around to face him, shocked. "And what did she say?"

Gillette shrugged. "That she was living an honest life. She said she wasn't committing any crimes."

"But if she is even _suspected_ of a crime, they'll kill her," James reminded him. His face looked very drawn. "I shouldn't have let her walk away like that. I have to find her and talk to her."

"I'll let you know if I see her and I'll bring her to you." Gillette promised.

"I doubt she'll listen." James replied dubiously.

"She will. After all, she can't refuse orders of the navy." Gillette reminded him.

* * *

It was dark by the time Cassandra reached the fort. No one was around this part of town except for the guards. Two guards in red stood watch at the entrance of the fort. Cassandra took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

Her eyes widened when she realized it was Murtogg and Mullroy.

But then she remembered how gullible and petty they were.

_This should be easy enough, _she thought with a smirk. Gathering every bit of confidence and courage she could muster, Cassandra strolled over to them and was at once met with suspicion.

Their crossed bayonets blocked her way.

Mullroy stood straight and tall. "You can't go in there. No one is allowed inside the fort except for soldiers and those of the nobility."

They didn't recognize her.

Suddenly she cried out in pain and bent down, clutching her stomach. As she did so, she skillfully loosened the cap on the bottle. She was closest to Murtogg so he bent down as well.

"What's wrong?" he asked, alarmed.

With the open bottle in one hand she lifted her head.

"This." she answered, bringing the bottle up underneath his nose. He looked down at it, confused. She covered her nose with her sleeve. A second later he collapsed to the ground. Cassandra felt a twinge of guilt.

Mullroy walked forward and looked down at Murtogg's body with horror. "What happened?" he exclaimed, shocked.

"I don't know..." Cassandra quickly wet the cloth in her hand with the contents of the bottle, out of Mullroy's sight. "He must have fainted." She rose to her feet and walked over to Mullroy's side, where he knelt on the ground. She placed the cloth over his mouth before he could react. Mullroy pushed her hands away and the cloth fell away.

He looked at her in shock and was about to get up. Cassandra backed away, wide-eyed. "Why you little..." he began but stopped short as his eyes rolled back into his head. A second later he fell flat on his face.

She glanced around and then put the cap back on the bottle.

Tia Dalma's sleeping potion had worked perfectly. She had acquired it at Tia Dalma's residence when the Black Pearl crew had visited her. The chocolate skinned woman had looked at her with eyes that seemed to look straight into her soul and then handed her the potion, saying she would one day need it.

"Be careful though; it is potent. So take care to cover your mouth and nose when you use it. It will last for 12 hours."

Cassandra looked down at the thin bottle in her hand, grateful for its purposes. Now she just had to find Beckett's office.

She was about to move forward into the fort but a voice stopped her.

"Everything all right out there?"

Cassandra inhaled sharply as she moved away from the entrance, concealing herself by a stack of crates against the fort wall where there was no light to expose her.

A guard came out of the fort and took a step back in surprise when he saw Murtogg and Mullroy on the ground.

"Smith! Come here!" he called. Cassandra watched as another guard came out of the fort. Cassandra's heart hammered against her chest. "What happened?" asked the second guard.

"I don't know," said the first one as he bent down beside the men. "But someone or something is around. Stay here while I go and get help. Guard this front entrance!"

"Yes sir!" Smith replied. The first guard ran away to alert the rest of the navy.

She looked at Smith, who stood there tall and straight, hands folded in front of him, gaze alert. Cassandra watched the guard as she climbed gingerly onto the stack of crates. She climbed onto the first crate, trying her best to move slowly, quietly and carefully.

She ascended the crates like steps and soon reached the top. The crates were stacked close enough to the fort that she could slide over the ledge and onto the balcony of the fort. She spotted some guards at the far end of the balcony but they had their back to her. If she was quick enough, they wouldn't see her.

But looking down at the long drop behind her, she realized that she could very well die. The possibility of death caused nervous prickly sensations in her fingertips and a numbing throughout her whole body. Her stomach dropped. But the longer she stood there the more she realized that time was slipping away.

She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. _I can do this, _she thought.

She extended a leg out over the ledge while bracing herself with one hand on the edge of the wall. Then she turned her body slightly, so that she had a better balance on the fort floor. Carefully, and with some difficulty, she slid her other leg over the crate and over the ledge.

As soon as she stood firmly on the fort, a voice barked at her from behind.

"Hey you!"

Her eyes widened and she turned around to see two guards rushing toward her. She took off across the balcony.

"Come back here!"

"Stop!" the other one yelled.

Cassandra kept on running and when she found an opening, she went through it. It was a passageway, leading to the lower level of the fort. She hurried down the stairs and stopped when she came to the other end.

She moved along the wall, trying to conceal herself.

She heard the voices of the guards above, floating down through the stairwell. She prayed they would not find her. Cassandra watched the stairwell, every nerve tense.

One of the men stopped by the opening; she could hear the shuffling of his feet. Her breath caught in her throat and then he walked away. She let out the breath she had been holding.

Then she turned her attention to the second floor of the fort. There were a few guards walking around, here and there. She edged out of the stairwell and quickly hurried away to find another hiding spot.

* * *

"Admiral. Lieutenant," a soldier addressed James and Gillette formally. The two officers nodded in response. "An intruder is in the fort. They still haven't found him yet. Two men are unconscious."

James and Gillette exchanged looks. "You take the west side, Gillette. I'll take the east." James instructed, moving quickly towards the other side of the fort.

* * *

Cassandra inserted the torsion wrench, an L-shaped tool, into the bottom of the lock. With her other hand she inserted the bobby pin above the torsion wrench and applied pressure by shaking the bobby pin in the lock.

She silently prayed that it would work and that she wouldn't get caught. After running out of the stairwell, she had found this office that she guessed was Beckett's. She had never seen the man but had heard of his tyrannical ways, and how he had come to power in Port Royal. She could only imagine what would happen to her if she were caught.

Finally the lock gave way and she heard a satisfying click. The lock had been picked.

Cassandra smiled triumphantly. Thanks to Jack and his sneaky ways she had learned a couple of handy tricks.

Nearby she heard footsteps. She quickly turned her head, catching sight of a figure nearing the corner.

She got to her feet and quickly slipped inside the office, quietly shutting the door behind her.

Then she turned around and raced towards the desk sitting in the office. She knelt down at the side of the desk and peeked around the corner.

She waited a moment and a soldier walked past. Cassandra gasped and recoiled, hiding herself.

She waited again, heart pounding, breath frozen, and looked around the corner again. This time there was no sign of him.

She let out a breath and rested her head against the desk. This criminal life was not so easy.

Keeping an eye on the glass doors, Cassandra rose to her feet and walked around the desk. She opened a drawer, shut it. Lifted things off the desk, put them back. Picked the drawer locks, opened them, shut them. But found no clue.

She sighed, exasperated. Where was it?

Cassandra stood there, looking around the room. Suddenly her gaze fell on a black chest sitting underneath the window, behind the desk. Luckily for her, the drapes of this window were pulled shut, allowing her greater secrecy.

She ran her hands over the chest; it was smooth ebony with a latch on the front. She lifted the latch.

Suddenly she heard the cocking of a gun behind her.

Cassandra inhaled sharply and her body went stiff.

"Hands off the chest." the voice ordered.

She lifted her hands off the chest.

"Hands where I can see them. Turn around."

This couldn't be happening. It couldn't be the end.

She turned around and faced him. It _wouldn't _be the end.

It was dark so she could only make out his outline. He was tall and lanky but she could take him.

She reached out and pushed him away, hard. This obviously shocked him because he fell over onto his back, loosing grip of his pistol as it slid away.

She took a run for it, pulling out her own pistol and shoving the ammunition into the valve.

He was faster than she expected though and tackled her, close to the doors. She fell on her side, with his weight on top of her. Her pistol also slid from her grasp, sliding a few feet away. He released his weight but kept a strong hand on her arm and his gun at her throat.

"Don't even think about trying to escape again." he advised. She had been so scared that she had not recognized the voice. At that moment she gasped and turned to face him. From the firelight of the torch, shining through the doors she could make out his features.

Their eyes met for a moment and he searched hers, a myriad of emotions swirling in his eyes. Shock, confusion, worry, frustration. He looked down at his gun, aimed at her throat. He swallowed hard and pulled it away slowly.

"Norrington, did you find anyone? Where are you?" Gillette's voice drifted towards them.

James looked towards the doors and then got off Cassandra. He grabbed her arm as he rose to his feet. "Up! On your feet! Hurry!" he whispered. She followed, lifting herself from the ground. She suddenly felt a jolt of pain rush up through her leg and she struggled to walk, holding onto a nearby table for support.

He placed a hand on her waist and the other on her arm. "Come now." He pushed her toward the corner of the office until she was against the wall. She faced him, looking up at him quizzically.

He was looking over his shoulder, watching the doors.

And then it dawned on her.

He was standing in front of her, almost pressing himself against her without realizing it. Cassandra was suddenly very aware of his warmth and of the hand he had pressed up against the wall, above her head.

She suddenly felt very small and fragile, and protected.

She shook her head of the haze. _I can't be thinking about this right now_, she told herself.

"James..." she began, looking up at him.

"Shh!" he silenced her, agitated. His attention was still on the doors.

A soldier with a torch slowly passed by and James instinctively pressed himself closer to the corner.

Once he passed, James turned to her. "What are you doing here?" he asked tightly. "Why are you in Beckett's office, sneaking around?"

She avoided his gaze and didn't answer.

"Dammit Cassandra, answer me." he ordered, grabbing her arms roughly.

She flung his hands off her and pushed him away. "To get Davy Jones' heart!" she answered, eyes flashing.

He looked at her for a second and frowned, stepping closer. "Why?" he asked.

"He has my father..." she said softly.

"I'm sorry to hear that..." he said. "But I can't let you do this."

"Are you going to send me to the gallows?" she asked with mock cheerfulness.

He looked at her and blinked. "Of course not!" he answered, horrified. "I'm going to let you go"- He paused. "Although I _should_ send you to the gallows. I have no idea if I can trust you."

His words were angry and curt.

"How do I know I can trust you either?" she challenged.

He just stared at her.

"You took the very thing we needed to defeat Davy Jones, James," Cassandra said. She took a glance at the window beside her, also watching for guards. "You left us for dead!"

He stepped forward, eyes intense. "Excuse me if I found a way to regain my honour!" he retorted.

Cassandra huffed. "Honour! Honour means nothing when you abandon your friends!"

"Who said you were my friends?" he retorted.

Cassandra gazed at him in shock, speechless. When he saw her expression, he averted his gaze.

She began to move toward the doors. "I don't need your help!" she muttered. "I'm leaving."

He grabbed her before she could reach the doors. She pushed against him. "Let me go!" she gasped.

"No!" he replied. She struggled against him, trying to wrench free of his grasp. But he was too strong and just pushed her farther into the office. His grip was tight on her arm. "If you leave and are caught it will be the end for you, Cassandra."

Finally she gave up on escaping and looked up at him. "Why are you doing this? I'm not your friend- I don't mean _anything_ to you!" she snapped.

"That's not true." he objected. He didn't elaborate any further though.

"Come." he said suddenly, pulling her towards the doors.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked, voice slightly shaky.

"I'm taking you out of here and doing you a favour."

He pulled her with him and stopped at the doors, opening one slightly to peek outside.

He looked both ways and pulled them both outside. "Shut the door," he ordered, pointing to it. She did so and he muttered, "Beckett and Mercer will wonder why the door is unlocked..."

He guided her along, one hand firmly on her arm. "This feels slightly familiar, Miss Lockhart, doesn't it?" he remarked snidely. "I always seem to find you sneaking around."

"And you always seem to _be_ around," she retorted, giving him a hard look. "How annoying is that."

He smiled but didn't look at her. "I would consider it quite convenient that I'm around, actually...You end up keeping your head."

She bristled at that and silently fumed, hating the fact that he was right, even in his arrogance. He stopped behind a pillar when he saw a guard walking past. Once he was out of sight, James rushed forward, pulling her along. "Come, we have to move quickly or they'll find us."

He took her inside an archway that gave way to a lighted stairwell. Quickly he descended the steps, hand still tightly clasped on her arm. She had trouble keeping up with him and finally her leg protested.

"Ow!" she moaned, nearly tripping as she stopped. He had to stop as well and looked over at her. "My leg hurts." she explained.

He looked at her leg and then at her pained face. "That's the side you fell on when I grabbed you, isn't it?" he asked.

She nodded, her face contorted. A flash of guilt passed through his eyes.

"I understand that it hurts but we have to keep going, Cassandra. I don't want you caught. Come." He took a step down and looked up at her expectantly.

She sighed and followed, bracing herself against the ache of the bruise that was probably forming.

This time he didn't grab her arm but instead placed his hand on her back, guiding her forward.

When they reached the exit she saw the street behind the gate. Her heart stopped when she saw the two guards standing watch within the gate.

She looked over her shoulder at James. Did he betray her?

"Who's this?" one of the guards asked, gesturing toward Cassandra. She pulled her hat farther down to hide her face.

He grabbed her arm once again and she felt fear overtake her. "Just a young boy I found, playing pranks in the fort." James said, sounding displeased. A feeling of relief washed over her. So he was not turning her in after all.

The guards laughed.

"So he thinks he's funny, does he?" one of them remarked, amused.

He led her to the gate and was about to unlock it when the same guard said, "Should we tell Beckett about this?"

James shook his head. "No, this boy has been dealt with." James opened the gate and pushed her out. Closing the gate, he looked at her for a moment, as if taking her in. She held his gaze, knowing that she should thank him.

But she had too much pride, and just turned away and walked on, angry that she hadn't obtained the heart. She would just have to find another way. James Norrington was only a small setback in her plans.

* * *

I'm so glad I got back to this story- it took me quite a while. I had a case of writer's block and while I was watching TV, found inspiration. We find it in the strangest of places, don't we? Well, that's it for now but I have another chapter on the way! Hope you enjoyed.


	4. Chapter 4 An Unexpected Discovery

Disclaimer: I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean, its storyline or its characters.

Chapter 4

An Unexpected Discovery

"I have a message for you from Admiral Norrington." the young boy said, holding out the rolled up letter.

Cassandra didn't take the letter. "I can't read." she said.

The young teenage boy had woken her up before sunrise with three knocks on the door. The last thing she wanted was a letter from James.

The teenage boy's eyebrows rose in slight surprise. "Oh," he replied. He checked the hall for anyone else before removing the red ribbon and unfolding the letter. "I probably shouldn't do this but...you must get the message. It says, 'Dear Cassandra, I can help you. I will be in the tavern this morning at seven o'clock if you want to meet with me. James.'"

The boy looked up at her.

"Thank you." Cassandra said. For a moment she wondered if the boy would reveal anything about her and James to anyone, and she realized that allowing him to read the letter was probably a bad idea.

He turned to leave. "Wait!" Cassandra said. The boy turned to her expectantly. "You won't..._tell_ anyone about this...thing between him and I, will you?"

The boy shook his head. "Oh, no. Of course not. These things happen all the time, especially with officers...And I wouldn't want to lose my job by running my mouth."

Cassandra swallowed nervously. "But, I'm not his _mistress_ or anything you know. He's just helping me out." she told him. She didn't know why she felt the need to explain herself to this boy.

The boy nodded. "I understand."

He left and Cassandra shut her door. She ran over the scene in her head again and again, wondering if she had revealed too much. Living in Port Royal certainly made you paranoid; you wondered if every action meant death.

Cassandra sat on her bed and sighed. Last night she had walked back to the tavern, fuming. She had stormed up the stairs and locked herself in her room, pacing around until she was in tears.

It had become undeniably clear that she had failed last night. She had gone to sleep, feeling depressed and low, wanting nothing more than to leave and be with her mother.

She hadn't expected his help though.

Cassandra crossed her arms and looked at her closet. Now that she had his attention she realized she could use it to her advantage. James could help her get into Beckett's head.

Cassandra changed into the dress she had arrived in yesterday and fixed her hair into a braid. Then she looked at the clock: a quarter before seven. He would be there soon.

She waited a while before going down. When it was finally seven, she went downstairs to meet him.

The tavern was quite empty when Cassandra came down. The tavern owner was standing at the bar, waiting for more customers.

The only customer was an old man that frequently came in; a fisherman.

The tavern owner noticed Cassandra. "I gather you got a message?"

"From Admiral Norrington?" Cassandra asked.

"Yes, he's in the back. He'd like to speak to you; ask you a few questions. The Admiral has some suspects he'd like to catch." the owner explained.

Cassandra nodded and walked into the back of the tavern, which was usually reserved for the gentry.

James was sitting at a table in the left corner. He sat facing her, with a mug of alcohol. Her eyebrows rose in slight surprise at this. He was dressed in his uniform but had placed his hat on the table. She still found it hard to get used to men like him in wigs. She couldn't quite understand how they were perceived as fashionable.

He quickly took her in and met her eyes. "Hello," he said. He gestured to the chair across from him. She pulled out the chair and sat down. "How is your leg?"

"Better." she told him.

He nodded. "Good. In all fairness though, I wasn't aware that it was you."

"I was surprised by the letter," she admitted, getting straight into business. "I thought that you wanted to avoid me after last night."

"Well, I can recognize good intentions when I see them," James responded. "And I understand your reasons for..." He looked at the doorway, where the tavern owner and customer were just on the other side. "trying to take the heart."

"You said you could help me?" she asked eagerly.

James folded his hands. "Yes, I can speak on your behalf to Beckett. I can ask him to free your father." James whispered.

"Beckett isn't going to care about a low-class woman like me," she whispered back. "Unless there's something in it for him, and I have nothing to offer."

James thought for a moment. "I'm afraid you might be right..." he replied. "But it's worth a try, isn't it?"

Cassandra sighed, exasperated. "A try isn't good enough! I need to free my father, I need to see him again..."

James inhaled deeply, contemplating this situation.

"Unless..." Cassandra started.

James looked up at her. "What?"

She bit her lip. "Unless I can pretend to be someone else, someone important..."

James made a face. "Oh Cassandra please...Please, no more impersonations. You can't do that. Do you know how much trouble you will get into if _Beckett _or the navy finds out?"

She shrugged. "Like you said, it's a worth a try, right?"

He gave her a pointed look. "My suggestion is less dangerous."

Cassandra looked around her and leaned forward conspiratorially. "Listen, I have treasure I found while I sailed with the Chinese merchant sailors. It's quite a bit of money; enough to be well-off actually...It's hidden in a cave."

James looked stunned. "You _found_ it?" he sputtered, almost in slight distrust.

Cassandra smiled impishly. "Finders keepers right?"

"Someone may be coming back for that treasure..." he warned.

She shook her head. "I don't think so. The cave we found was full of treasure - I mean gold, silver, statues, coins...It was full of treasure! If they were coming back for all of that they wouldn't be able to carry it all away, not even with a full crew. It looked like some sort of shrine but the merchants thought it was really just a pirate stash."

"Where did you find it?" he asked, sounding interested.

"Colombia." she told him.

"Good God, you sailed all over the world." James remarked.

She nodded. "I did," she replied. "Anyway, what I meant to say was that I might be able to use this treasure."

"Perhaps you could use it as a bargaining tool with Beckett." James suggested.

"I don't want to give away that money!" Cassandra hissed possessively.

A smile twitched at the corner of his lips. "You're more pirate than you realize, Miss Lockhart..." he remarked, amused.

She cocked her head at him. "Why do you keep calling me that?"

"Because I have to keep a sense of propriety..." he explained. "And I do it out of habit." he added, before taking a drink of his alcohol. She just watched him a moment. After taking a swig of his drink he carefully placed it down and looked squarely at her.

"Now, what are we going to do about the treasure?" he asked.

"Maybe I could use it as proof of my wealth..." she proposed.

James sighed again.

"But it could work!" she protested, holding up her hands. "It would be a quicker way of getting close to Beckett and gaining his trust. Then he might be more willing to help me."

James thought for a moment. "It could work...but it would be risky. If you were caught..."

"Then I just have to be careful then," she told him brightly. "Besides, if I do, I think you and myself included can get me out a mess."

"Let's hope so..." James added.

* * *

That morning Cassandra left the tavern and made her way to James' house. He had left after speaking to her, saying that he had to return home and that he would meet her there. The Admiral's house was on the edge of town, closer to the dense forests and elegant houses of the Caribbean. Her walk was long but pleasant.

She felt safe walking around Port Royal: the people were decent, the bums on the street passive and harmless, the soldiers of the navy alert and respectful, the children playful and giggling. It reminded her of home- Port York. Thinking of Port York caused an ache in her chest, deep and incurable. Her coastal town had been burned in a fire during a pirate raid.

That event had set in motion a series of events. First she had been separated from both her parents in the raid, second she had escaped, ended up in Tortuga and then come to Port Royal, looking for work. It was here that she had met James a year ago.

When Cassandra arrived at James' home, the large wrought iron gate was open and a few gardeners were out tending to the foliage. On her way up she had caught sight of a stable in the distance that she hadn't noticed before. It was down the road, sitting beside a vast, lush field. The boy who had delivered the message earlier was walking up the road, dusting off his pant leg.

_He must be a stable boy_, Cassandra thought.

As she approached the house the gardeners turned to her out of curiosity. She wondered if any of them recognized her and so she smiled, greeting them politely. But they only stared blankly.

She ascended the steps and knocked on the door. The door opened to reveal James' butler, whose name she had forgotten.

"Ah...Cassandra," he said. "You've returned. Come inside, James was expecting you."

"Thank you," she said, stepping inside. "How are you?" she asked.

"Good." he answered pleasantly, taking her bag from her.

Cassandra thought it strange that just a year ago he had been snobbish and cold towards her. But he had not known her then.

From the kitchens a figure emerged and came into full view of the foyer. It was Adele, the first friend she had made while working under James.

There was a look of utter shock on her face as she stared at Cassandra. "Oh! I can't believe it- it's you!" she cried. She ran forward and pulled Cassandra into a hug. Cassandra laughed.

"It's good to see you too Adele!"

Adele pulled away from her, holding her arms and looking into her face. Her blue eyes were teary. "I thought you were dead. Admiral Norrington said he didn't know what happened to you! After that I was so worried!" She looked at her for a second and then hugged her once again, swaying them back and forth. "Oh, I'm so happy! I've missed you."

The two women took time to talk and catch up in the hall, and Cassandra finally said, "I owe you money, don't I?" she asked slyly.

Adele blinked and then started laughing. "Yes you do, missy!"

Adele had done her a favor a year ago and Cassandra had kept her promise to owe her back.

Cassandra smiled and placed her pouch of change in Adele's hand. Adele was about to speak but got interrupted by the door to the library opening. The two women turned to see a tall, dark-haired woman and James emerge from the library.

Cassandra scrutinized the woman. She was slim, dressed in a white gown with a floral petticoat and stomacher. The floral pattern was of delicate blue and yellow flowers, and green leaves. The pointed tips of her shoes peeked out from underneath the gown. Her golden-hued brown hair was pinned up in a chignon, with curled strands gliding over her shoulders. As she looked at Cassandra and Adele, Cassandra could see that her eyes were a bright blue, like the waters of the Caribbean. And her skin was flawlessly pale, untouched by the sun or outside elements.

Her gaze landed on Cassandra and she turned to face James. "Is she a new servant? I haven't seen her before."

_I haven't seen **you** before, _Cassandra thought.

James' gaze landed on Cassandra. "Um...yes." he said. The butler appeared with the woman's hat and parasol.

"Why must they all be so pretty James?" she asked as she tied up her hat. "Aren't you afraid that they'll be a distraction away from me?" she continued, almost coquettishly as she moved toward the door.

Adele nudged Cassandra and smiled. Cassandra however, was a bit shocked at the woman's insinuation.

James smiled but didn't meet her gaze. "I'm not so easily distracted, Evelyn."

Cassandra's stomach dropped. It was clear that they were familiar with each other. She felt sick.

When she was gone, James turned around to face her. "Well, now that you've arrived I'll let you get settled in. Then we can talk." He gazed at her a moment before walking away.

After Cassandra got settled into her room and changed into a new dress, she met James in the sitting room.

James was sipping a cup of tea and staring out the window when the butler escorted her inside the sitting room.

"Thank you, Edward." James nodded and Edward left the room, shutting the door behind him.

So that was the butler's name.

Cassandra sat down across from him. James set his cup down. She took a look around the room. She had seen it before but had forgotten the little details like the model ship on the mantel and the sheer curtains on the window.

"I wanted to talk about that treasure you found." he stated.

"What about it?" she asked.

"Well, I need to come up with an excuse in order to leave the coast. I was thinking that you could claim that you saw pirates. I would take a crew with me and investigate the waters. You also remember that you've heard stories about these pirates hiding valuable treasure, stolen from the Crown. So we head in the direction that your treasure is located in, and take it, disguising it as a confiscation."

Cassandra thought about it for a moment and nodded. "Wow, that's a good lie," she remarked, impressed. "So good it could be a pirate's lie!" she added teasingly.

He gave her a displeased look.

"When will we go?" she asked.

"Tomorrow."

She nodded and looked at a table by the fireplace.

She suddenly thought of something. "What are we going to tell everyone in the house when I start acting like a courtier?" she asked.

James took another sip of his tea and leaned back in his chair, thinking. "Mhm...Well, we could tell them the truth and say that you came into quite a bit of money. I could say that I'm helping you manage that money. I could say I'm helping you find a residence while you stay here."

"Seems believable..." she said, pursing her lips.

A strange silence arose between them.

James took another sip of his tea and set it down. Then he looked out the window.

Cassandra smoothed out her dress, her mind elsewhere.

She looked up at him. He was still looking out the window, arms resting on his knees.

"How do you know that woman? Evelyn?" she asked suddenly.

He looked at her, raising his eyebrows. "Mhm?" he said. "Evelyn? She's a family friend. Our fathers knew each other for several years. Evelyn and I knew each other since we were young children." he explained.

"I see..." Cassandra said, looking away.

She could feel his gaze on her. "Why do you ask?"

Cassandra turned back to him and shrugged. "I'm just curious..." she answered. But she wasn't just curious; she was slightly suspicious of their relationship. She had a feeling there was something more, mostly on Evelyn's part.

"So we'll leave early tomorrow for the treasure. Be ready to leave before sunrise." James told her.

Cassandra nodded and quickly left the room, not saying a word. She then ran up to her room- she was exempt from chores and duties, seeing as she had just arrived.

She closed the door and sat on her bed, staring blankly at the window ahead of her. As tears trailed silently down her cheeks, she wondered why she had fallen for a man society would never allow her to be with.

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! If you have any suggestions or feedback I'd be happy to hear it. :)  
**


	5. Chapter 5 Gold, Gold, Gold!

Disclaimer: I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean or its characters, or its fabulous storyline.

To Love an Admiral

Chapter 5

Gold, Gold, Gold!

The morning was quiet and serene, with a soft violet sky. The sun had not quite risen and so the Caribbean was still fast asleep, much like the residents of Port Royal. She was not fond of getting up at this early hour but once she came out into the cool, crisp air and saw the breathtaking sky, her attitude changed.

"Sleep well, miss?" Robert asked.

Edward, the butler had woken her up and informed her that Robert, the stable boy who had delivered her message yesterday, would be accompanying her to the dock. Edward explained that James had already went ahead to prepare the ship.

Cassandra made a face. "Not really, I had trouble falling asleep."

"Oh…nervous about the voyage then?" he pressed as they walked out of the gates and into the silent street.

"Uh, no...It's not that…How did you end up working for James- I mean Admiral Norrington?" she asked, changing the subject. Her miserable night was not something she wanted to talk about.

Robert looked surprised. "Oh me? Well, my parents are poor you see. And I have lots of brothers and sisters. I'm the oldest so the responsibility rests on me. I found a job working for Admiral Norrington( then known as Commodore Norrington) when I was fourteen. It helps my family out a lot. There's lots of mouths to feed." he added with a grin.

Cassandra grinned back. "Well that's very admirable of you, Robert. I'm sure your family is very proud of you for doing that."

He shrugged. "More thankful actually. What would make my father proud is if I became a carpenter like him. He builds homes you see."

"How interesting," Cassandra remarked. "He has an important job."

They passed the silversmith, a few blacksmiths and the shoemaker.

"I think so too," Robert said with a smile. "That's why I want to do what he does. He helps people, makes sure they have good, sturdy homes to live in."

Cassandra passed him a sidelong glance, smiling. "I think that's a wonderful way of looking at it, Robert. You'll be a fine carpenter one day."

"What about you, miss? What do you wish to be?"

Cassandra was caught off guard. "Well, I-I…I don't really know…" she admitted, baffled. She had never really thought about it before. "I suppose it's not really what I want _to be_…" she said slowly. "But I what I want _to do_." She turned to look at him pointedly.

"And what would that be?" he asked.

Cassandra's face broke into a soft smile. "Travel the world... swim in the Caribbean... go visit an exotic island...fall in love... have children of my own someday, my own house…All very girly things..." Her eyes sparkled. "In some ways I've already lived my dreams, just not in the way I expected to…" she said.

Robert looked confused. "How so? I don't understand."

They turned down another street, now walking past houses.

"Well…I traveled with pirates and merchants before"-

"You've traveled with pirates?" Robert asked, eyes going wide and a look of awe on his face.

Cassandra looked around and put a finger to her lips. Robert composed himself.

"Yes, I have. But I had no part in piracy- at all," she said firmly, staring him squarely in the eyes. He nodded. "But I traveled because I was looking for my family, not for my enjoyment…" she trailed off and looked off into the distance, faraway. "And I've found a special man…but I don't think he's the right one…" she said softly.

"Why?" Robert asked. "Is he daft? Does he have horrible table manners?"

Cassandra laughed. "No! He's just…we're just from different worlds, different societies…" Cassandra explained, looking away. "And…I don't know what he thinks of me." she told him. She realized that she was baring her heart and soul to this young stable boy, and suddenly looked up at him. She wondered if he thought she was a silly, sad woman but instead saw that he was absorbing her words very intently.

A dog sitting outside a house barked at them, making her jump. The dog remained in its spot though, leaving them be.

"Well, why don't you tell him? How can he know how he feels about you if he doesn't know how you feel about him?" Robert pointed out.

His words made Cassandra stop and think. It was such simple and obvious advice but so telling. "You're right, Robert!" She shook her head. "How can I expect him to show any sign or clue when I keep my own to myself?"

"You won't know until you try." Robert added.

* * *

"I'd appreciate it if you informed Sir Cutler Beckett about this," James told the naval officer. "I would wait for his permission first but I'd like to rid the waters of pirates as soon as possible."

Cassandra and the crew were standing on the dock with James and the officer, preparing to set sail. Robert had already gone on his way, giving a polite tip of his hat to Cassandra. Now Cassandra was left with Murtogg, Mullroy, Groves and Gillette.

James had already fed the officer the lie about Cassandra's pirate sighting and the supposed rumors she heard about stolen treasure.

"Of course, Admiral," the officer replied respectfully. "I will inform Beckett immediately."

James nodded curtly. "Thank you."

The officer walked off and James made his way toward the ship. "Weigh the anchor. Unfurl the sails. Let's get moving men!"

The crew hurried to obey orders, and James and Cassandra followed after them onto the ship. As they embarked, Cassandra stood at the railing of the ship, watching the waves bend and crash against the side of the ship. She closed her eyes and breathed in the salty, crisp air, letting it fill her lungs and wake up every fiber of her body. The water below was so clear and glassy. She looked toward the horizon, where the sky was slowly clearing from a cloudy purple to a clear blue, and the sun was rising like a light of white-yellow fire.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" a voice said softly.

A hand slid onto the railing beside her and she looked up to see James at her side. His gaze was glued to the horizon.

"It's part of the reason why I love being on ships...There's nothing like the sunset or the sunrise on the ocean."

"Or the ocean itself," Cassandra added, turning to look at him. He finally tore his gaze away from the horizon and met her eyes. "I've never seen a brighter color than that of the Caribbean, and the sound of the ocean, oh my—it's amazing."

He smirked at her and leaned on the railing rather boyishly. "It seems a year on the ocean has done you good…And I can see that you've gained your sea legs too." he added, nodding at her legs.

Cassandra gave him a weary look. Last year she had experienced unpleasant bouts of seasickness, due to her inexperience on a ship. James had been there to witness her seasickness and had even helped her through it.

He chuckled and turned towards the horizon again. At that moment, Cassandra remembered Robert's words but knew that now wasn't the time. She wondered how she would put into words how she felt about him, but found herself at a loss.

He glanced over at her and she did the same. They exchanged forced smiles, trying to ease the awkward silence.

"You look tired," he remarked. "Did you sleep well last night?"

She shook her head and looked away. "No. I was…thinking a lot."

"About your father?" he pressed.

"No…but I do think about him a lot. I was thinking about something else... but I'd rather not talk about it."

James nodded. "Very well."

He left the railing, walking away.

Cassandra watched as he left to talk to Groves, who stood at the helm, guiding the ship across the swelling water. She had given Groves directions beforehand so he knew exactly how far out to go. James turned to look at her. Then he looked away and exchanged some words with Groves again, before making his way down the companionway.

Cassandra's face fell. Why did it feel like there was a barrier between them now? He seemed more inclined to avoid her and maintain a sense of "propriety." The conversations between them were short and business-like. She understood that he held an important position but it didn't stop her from hoping that he would break tradition and rules, and reach out to her.

_Maybe I was just fooling myself this whole time,_ she thought. _Perhaps he was always trying to keep his distance and didn't want anything to do with me. After all, I was always the one chasing him, seeking him, asking him for help…_

Realization dawned on her face. She had _always _asked him for something, but he had _never _asked anything of her.

"We're near the caves!" Groves announced.

James hurried up the companionway and Cassandra wondered what he had been doing down there, in that mysterious office. What was he thinking about? What was he feeling?

"We're going to have to go around that rock…" Gillette said. In front of them sat a giant rock, shooting up from sea in the shape of an arch. Hanging from the arch of the rock were three skeletons and above them a sign that read: 'Pirates Ye Be Warned.'

Cassandra shuddered and turned her attention away, trying to look around the rocky boulder for the caves.

"And anchor the ship as close to the caves as possible." Gillette instructed. Groves expertly guided the ship forward so that he had enough room to turn the ship around the rock and into the bay where the caves sat on a tiny island.

Groves stopped the ship in the bay as the men lowered the anchor. "That's as far as I can stop the ship. You and Cassandra will have to take a rowboat to the island."

James nodded and walked toward the men. "Lower the rowboat and ladder."

By now the sun was bright and high in the sky, and the water sparkled blue-green. A slight wind blew, cooling the humid, hot air around them.

James got into the boat first and waited for Cassandra as she descended the ladder, which was hard to do in heeled boots and a dress. He didn't offer a hand but instead watched her get into the boat. Once they were in, James took the oars and began steering for the island.

They traveled in silence until James asked, "You remember which cave it is, right?"

"Yes, I made sure to mark it. Let's just hope someone didn't get to it before me and remove it."

"Let's hope…" he agreed, sighing.

She noticed his sigh and studied him for a second. She saw the lines that creased his face, the worry in his eyes, the tenseness of his shoulders.

"James?" she began hesitantly.

His gaze darted to hers. "Yes?" he answered, distracted.

She looked down at her boot, wiping imaginary dirt off it, even though it shined like polished silver in the sun. "Is all this…trouble for you? I'm starting to wonder if…my problems are a burden to you…and-and maybe you've taken on too much."

She looked up at him hesitantly, and realized that he had stopped rowing, letting them bob up and down on the waves. He stared at her, frowning.

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

She looked at the wood of the rowboat. "Well…I mean that you've always helped me, without any questions, any complaint. And I…I've done nothing to help you. You could get into grave trouble, just for me. Just for this. I feel guilty sometimes."

"My job ties me to the people, not just the Crown," he objected. "I can't just sit by, knowing that you and your father are suffering. I would be less of a man if I did that, and less of an Admiral." he added as he continued rowing.

After a moment he added, softly, "And you are a dear friend. I can't let a friend go to the gallows trying to save her father, no matter how mad she is." He grinned at her playfully after he said this.

She grinned back, feeling her heart lighten.

They moved through the water rather swiftly. The waves pushed the boat onto the sandy shore, lodging it securely in the sand. They moved the boat back a little farther, so it was out of the water.

Cassandra surveyed the island, moving across the soft, grainy sand. It was vine-infested, with vines hanging like ropes across the rocks and caves. A colorful bird flew from one tree to another. Above her stood a cliff, black like coal, covered in green plants and grass. Around the corner caves waited like open mouths, deep and dark, mysterious and daunting.

Behind her James was making a torch, peeling the bark from a tree and attaching it to a tree limb with vine.

"It's over this way." she told him, walking around the corner. They stepped over rocks and through shallow water to get to the caves, which sat between the edge of the cliff and the shore. She remembered that the cave had been damp and wet, soaking her feet and trousers.

When she came to the mouth of the cave, she reached out to touch a branch, protruding from the cliff. "Aha!" she exclaimed, touching the blue silk ribbon she had secured around the tree branch. She turned around and smiled at James.

"This is the one. I left this here. It's the cave."

He started a small fire to light the torch and then stomped the fire out once the torch was lit.

Cassandra was about to walk inside but James grabbed her by the shoulder.

"I should go in before you. It will be hard to see without the torch ahead of you."

She turned to face him. "Right…" she replied, feeling silly.

They proceeded slowly and carefully, watching for slippery rocks and jagged corners. Cassandra followed closely, nearly pressed up against his back, giving directions and guiding the way.

Then they turned the corner and found it. James inhaled sharply, and she giggled ecstatically, running towards it.

Laid out in front of them were piles of gold coins around a treasure, filled with more gold coins. Atop rocky ledges and boulders sat golden goblets, trophies and masks.

James walked forward, amazed. "It looks like a shrine…" he remarked, mouth hanging open.

Cassandra laughed. "Isn't it the most amazing thing you've ever seen? So much gold!"

She scooped a handful up and let it fall through her fingers, allowing a delighted cry to escape her mouth.

James watched her, saw her avarice. And realized that for a girl like Cassandra, who came from a humble background, all this gold was divine, almost magical.

"We certainly can't take everything…" James remarked dryly. "Let's take the chest. That's what you came for, isn't it?"

Cassandra let the coins fall and nodded, walking over to the chest. "I forgot how huge it was. How are we going to carry it out of here?"

"We have to get the others to help. Come."

They walked out of the cave and when they stood outside of it, James turned to her. "Wait here. I'll be right back with the others."

She was a bit uneasy about being alone but agreed anyway, nodding as he walked away to the rowboat.

Cassandra waited there, arms crossed as she surveyed the island. She stood there for a few minutes and found that no matter how hard she tried, thoughts of the gold filled her mind. A hunger unlike anything she had ever experienced before flowed through her blood and caused a deep ache. She felt hunger, and power and an insatiable greed.

Cassandra wanted to go back to that gold. Stare at it and touch it. Feel the weight of coins in her hand. She let out a deep breath, trying to calm her racing, anxious mind. Finally she could take it no more, and ran a hand through her hair, groaning in frustration.

She felt a pull toward it, something drawing her in. And so she headed back into the cave.

Her eyes sparkled as she surveyed the gold and running towards it, she cried out , laughing jubilantly.

She fell in the gold, laughing uncontrollably. She sat there, watching the gold fall through her fingers with intense concentration. It was so pretty and shiny. So mesmerizing…

A loud voice snapped her out of her daze. She sat up straight, alert as a deer.

Was that James? Back so soon with the others?

As she listened closely she heard a few more laughs, cackles actually, and wild, boorish hoots. Her breath caught and her heart began fluttering frantically. No, these weren't the well-mannered, cultured men of the navy.

She turned wide eyes to the entrance of the cave and saw five ragged men emerge.

The leader stopped in his tracks and looked at her through blurry, surprised eyes. A smirk slowly appeared on his face.

"Well, well look what we have here boys."

* * *

**Author's Note: I love cliffhangers, don't you? :D Forgive me if it takes a little while to give you the next part. I often alternate between this story and another I'm currently working on. But I hope it was suspenseful enough. Let me know what you think.**


	6. Chapter 6 Revelation

Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean or its characters.

Author's Note: There's a little bit of violence, hardly any and it's not gory really but I just wanted to let you know (in case you're squeamish).

To Love an Admiral

Chapter 6

Revelation

Cassandra's heart stopped.

The man in the lead, with the torch, was older with a heavy, graying beard and strong build. His salmon-coloured shirt was faded, like the striped scarf thrown over his neck. The others moved out from behind him, grinning like wolves.

They were just as dirty and ragged as the first man; their clothes threadbare, their skin dirty.

Her breath caught in her throat as she got to her feet, but she slipped on the gold, falling once again into the pile, unable to gain a stable footing.

The men laughed at her, amused by her feeble attempt.

She sent them a poisonous look. "What is a lass like yourself doing here?" the leader asked, edging closer.

Cassandra stepped back, the gold falling and jingling as it scattered.

The men behind him smirked and observed her as they walked around him, taking their places at different corners of the cave. Her heart fluttered and she could hardly breathe as she realized she was cornered.

She looked back at the man and remained silent.

He nodded at her. "What? Can't speak? Are you a mute?"

"If she is, that means she can't scream," one of the younger, taller men with a brown beard remarked, a wicked smile on his face. "Not that anybody would _hear_ her anyway." He and the other men laughed.

"Leave me be, and just take your treasure!" she cried out frantically. Her attachment to the treasure had suddenly grown cold, and she cared more for her safety than for the treasure.

The leader put his hands on his hips, tilted his head at her and smiled. "Oh...but you _are _the treasure, lass…" he countered. His smile widened when her eyes went wide. "Everything we find we keep. Pack it away, lads!" he ordered over his shoulder.

The leader turned his attention back to Cassandra and she backed away, the gold moving at her feet. The other men moved toward the treasure, taking handfuls of gold and throwing it into their bags.

"Why don't you make this easier and just come over here, love?" the man said, moving slowly towards her.

Cassandra's heart pounded in her chest as she stumbled over the gold piles, trying to get away from him. She found a small opening between a set of piles and ran through it. At the edge of the pile one of the men stood as he gathered gold.

He noticed her and turned to her, waiting to catch her.

As she ran toward him, she charged him, giving him a rough shove that sent him falling backwards.

He cursed and the men started yelling. She could see the leader from the corner of her eye, trailing her. She ran for the mouth of the cave, ready to escape.

She reached the craggy path and was close to escaping when someone seized her from behind. They dragged her back to heart of the cave.

She screamed in fear and distress, struggling in the man's iron grip. "NO!" she cried. "No!"

Her captor brought her to the other pirates, who stood around her in a circle, observing her. The pirate still kept a firm grip on her though; one arm around her waist, the other hand on her shoulder.

The leader stood to her right, smirking at her. "Thought you could escape, didn't you girl?" He stepped up to her, so close that she could smell the sweat and alcohol off him. The leader peered at her, narrowing his eyes. "You're a quiet one…but you have a bit of fire to you. I can see it in your eyes."

Cassandra looked away, uncomfortable with his scrutiny. He chuckled.

"Grab more gold, lads! That's not enough!" the leader ordered. Cassandra shuffled on her feet and her captor tightened his grip on her.

As the men packed up the gold, she wondered where James and the others were, and what was taking them so long. Were there more pirates on the water, keeping them delayed? Dread filled her as she considered the possibility.

The leader reached out and caressed her cheek. Cassandra shrunk back, disgusted.

The leader walked past her with a smile. "You'll learn to like me soon enough."

Cassandra nearly gagged from the thought.

Her captor kept her immobile while the leader ordered his subordinates around. One of the men, however, stopped in his actions and looked towards the mouth of the cave, an intent look of concentration on his face.

"Do you hear that?" he asked, furrowing his brow.

"Hear what?" one of the men piped up, looking over his shoulder.

The first man strained to hear. "It sounds like"-

He stopped short when a steady tapping sound filled the cave. It sounded like footsteps.

Soon enough a group of uniformed men spilled into the cave, wearing the respective gold, white and blue of the royal navy.

Cassandra's shoulders slumped in relief and her gaze fell on James, standing in the fore. His pistol was pointed at the man behind her and a sword was in his other hand.

"Unhand her!" he ordered.

"Ha! You'll have to shoot through her to get to me!" the man challenged.

A look of exasperation crossed James' face and he stormed toward him with his sword. Her captor pushed her out of the way, making her fall into the gold pile.

Above her, James' sword clashed with her captor's. Cassandra scrambled to get out of the way, moving through gold pieces to find herself face to face with one of the pirates once again.

He smiled at her and her eyes widened as he grabbed her wrist. "You're coming with me, missy!"

"I don't think so." a voice said. A gunshot suddenly went off. The bullet whizzed past her ear and hit the man squarely in the shoulder. The man grabbed his shoulder in pain and fell to the ground, blood streaming through his fingers.

Cassandra turned around to face Groves. She gasped and he smiled at her. He offered his hand and nodded toward the mouth of the cave.

"Come on, let's get you out of here and somewhere safe."

She took his hand and followed him into the passageway leading outside. She stopped and turned to look back.

"What about James?" she asked, worried.

"He'll be fine!" Groves assured her, leading her outside.

Cassandra squinted when they came out in the sunlight. The thunder of waves hitting the shore greeted her ears.

She looked out at the ocean, shielding her eyes from the bright sun. To her surprise, though, she saw only their ship, their rowboat and an additional rowboat, secured on the shore.

She turned back to Groves, who walked past her, toward the rowboat they had come in. "They didn't come in a pirate ship?" she asked, confused.

Groves shook his head. "No, it was just the five of them. They might have escaped from prison or might just be a group of thieves."

Groves leaned down and threw out the oars sitting in the boat. It looked like he was getting ready to leave.

Worry suddenly filled her as she thought of the treasure inside. "What about the treasure?" she prompted.

Groves squinted up at her. "What about it?" he asked, annoyed. "Our only concern now is not getting killed by those thieves. There are more important things than your treasure, Cassandra."

"Right." She felt a twinge of guilt. Her eagerness was coming across as greediness.

Just then, the criminals came barrelling out of the cave, running towards their rowboat. Groves pulled out his pistol from his belt and shot at them, narrowly missing one of them. One of the men ducked and yelled out, scrambling for the rowboat sitting on the shore.

Cassandra's eyes widened as one man pulled out his pistol and aimed it toward her. Groves grabbed her arm. "Get out of the way!" he yelled, pushing her to the ground.

He landed on top of her and then got back up to fight. Cassandra was left there on the ground, crawling and ducking away from bullets. She slid toward the rowboat and took cover behind it. The water soaked the front part of her dress but she didn't care; better wet than dead.

Why hadn't she thought to sneak a gun or dagger into her dress? She absolutely detested hiding like a helpless and defenceless child.

She poked her head over the side of the boat and got a glimpse of James and the others, engaged in frenzied gunfire and sword fighting. She watched as James ran his sword through a man. The man's body went stiff and froze as he realized that he had been fatally stabbed. He fell limply to the ground as James pulled his sword out.

Cassandra's throat tightened and her breath caught in her throat. Just one of the horrors of fighting and violence. She slowly slid down behind the boat and laid there, stunned. She had never seen James kill a man. It gave him a dangerous and powerful edge; seeing him commit this act was something she was not accustomed to. But she knew it was part of his job and duty.

The sound of footsteps neared the rowboat, water splashing as the officers reached the small boat.

Cassandra struggled as she lifted herself from the water. Gillette offered her a hand, pulling her up to her feet as the other men made their way to the boat. They watched as the criminals pushed their boat into the water and quickly jumped in, bags of treasure in their hands. They hooted gleefully, having secured a part of the treasure in their escape.

"Should we go after them?" Groves asked, turning to James.

James stared after them. "No, we'll try to catch them later. Right now we have that treasure to worry about."

As if on cue, Murtogg and Mullroy emerged out of the cave with the treasure chest. They had run back in to retrieve it. The two men shuffled toward them and dropped the treasure onto the ground with a hard thud.

"It's heavy; we're going to have to heave it up with ropes from the ship." Murtogg said.

"Alright, Murtogg, Mullroy," James said. "Wait here with the treasure while we row back to the ship. Gillette will bring the rowboat back to you."

Cassandra stepped into the boat but stopped when she heard James say her name. "Cassandra," She looked up to see concern in his eyes.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

She nodded and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine."

James and the others got into the boat with her, while Murtogg and Mullroy waited patiently on the island with the treasure. As they rowed away, Cassandra could hear them bickering, their words carrying on the wind.

"I think this treasure is cursed..." Murtogg remarked.

"Cursed? I don't think so." Mullroy argued.

"The last one was cursed. Look at that medallion Miss Swann had!" Murtogg protested.

"You're just being paranoid. Nothing strange has happened yet. So stop with the superstitions!" Mullroy said.

Cassandra looked over at James, who rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"They're just Ragetti and Pintel in uniforms, aren't they?" Cassandra remarked, causing the navy men to chuckle.

Cassandra, Groves and James climbed aboard the ship, and Gillette rowed back to the island. As they waited for Gillette and the others to return, Cassandra stood on deck and surveyed their surroundings.

Day had already broken free. While they were busy hunting treasure, the sun had come up and revealed the cloudy sky. It was warm with a slight breeze off the ocean. Cassandra could tell that it was going to be a nice day.

Before she knew it, Gillette was back with Murtogg, Mullroy, and the treasure.

James and Groves rushed forward to hoist the treasure up. Cassandra backed away, trying to get out of their way as they worked. They threw ropes down to Gillette so he could secure the treasure, and soon the two men were lifting the large treasure chest aboard the ship.

James and Groves placed the treasure chest on the ground with a heavy thud, and then waited for the others to board the ship. They pulled the rowboat up and lifted the anchor.

Finally, the last of the men climbed aboard and lifted the rowboat on the ship.

"Murtogg, Mullroy, take this treasure chest below deck." James instructed. Both men nodded tiredly and carried the heavy chest below deck.

"How will we move the treasure from the ship without anyone seeing?" Cassandra asked.

James turned to her. "We're sailing past the naval port and stopping in a remote part of Jamaica, near the forest. I have a carriage waiting on the road into town. We'll put the treasure in the carriage, and you and I will ride back into Port Royal. Groves and the others will sail back to the harbour."

Cassandra raised her eyebrows. "Wow, you really have this planned out, don't you?"

A small smile lifted his lips. "Someone has to think of these things."

Then he walked off to speak with Gillette.

Cassandra stood at the railing, enjoying the weather and watching as they sailed past Port Royal's harbour and toward a far corner of the island. This part of the island was covered in a heavy expanse of trees, and beyond that, hills. A piece of the island jutted out toward the ocean, giving it the appearance of a small peninsula.

The ship neared the leafy shore, and Murtogg and Mullroy brought up the treasure from the hold. They anchored the ship in the middle of the ocean.

"You and I will have to take a boat to the shore." James explained to her. Both of them descended into the rowboat again, and after the treasure was handed down to them, they pushed off and rowed toward the shore.

As James rowed, Cassandra sat with her hand in her chin, watching the turquoise water of the Caribbean swell and shrink. She caught a glimpse of colorful fish as they swam and flitted past the surface. She looked up when she felt James' gaze.

He was looking straight at her, watching her as he moved the oars. Cassandra smiled at him to ease the tension. He smiled back warmly, almost fondly, and Cassandra felt her heart skip a beat.

They came to the shore, where Jamison waited with the carriage. When they pushed up against the shore, a light rain began to fall. Cassandra glanced up above, where the clouds had turned a stormy grey. She had thought the day would turn out nice, but storm clouds had moved in.

Strange how life was like that. One minute sunny and the next stormy.

She waited in the boat as James and Jamison removed the heavy chest, and loaded it into the carriage. She got out of the boat and dragged it out of the water.

"Are you ready Miss?" Jamison called from the carriage.

"Oh, yes!" Cassandra called, hurrying toward the carriage. James offered her a hand into the carriage and stepped in after her, sitting opposite her. The treasure was nestled into the right side of the carriage, taking up quite a bit of space.

Jamison climbed up on the seat and snapped the reins, moving the carriage along the road.

Cassandra leaned her head against the seat and stared out the window at the rain, which had grown heavier as the seconds passed. It splattered against the window, blocking out everything like a fog.

She shivered. Across from her, James hastily removed his jacket. Cassandra looked over at him, wondering what he was doing. But then he held it out to her and said, "Here."

She looked at him and tentatively took the jacket from him. "Thank you…" she said, surprised.

"You're welcome…" he answered, looking at her before turning and staring out the window.

She opened the jacket and placed it over herself. His jacket was warm and smelt faintly of salt and seawater.

She looked over at the chest sitting in the carriage with them. One part of her plan was finally complete, and she was that much closer to saving her father.

She sat there in contemplation, listening to the heavy rainfall and clop of horse hooves from outside. She relished in the warmth and comfort of James' jacket.

"How did those men know about the treasure in the cave?" James asked suddenly.

Cassandra turned away from the window. "I don't know…Someone must have passed word onto them. It was supposed to be a secret though."

A moment of silence passed when Cassandra spoke again. "Do you know that that was only a _part_ of the Colombian treasure in the cave? We carried out as much treasure as we could but there was still so much treasure left."

"And what of the Chinese merchants you sailed with? Are they also getting a share of the treasure in that cave?" James asked.

"Well…yes, actually…" Cassandra said, thinking. She shot up in her seat with wide eyes and gasped.

James leaned forward. "What is it?" he asked urgently.

She turned to him with fearful eyes. "I just remembered it now. I promised to keep the treasure secret and now those men know about it! They even _have_ some of the treasure too! The merchants will think I told them; they'll be furious with me!"

James took this in for a moment. "Well, those men are gone for now. But if you're really worried about it that much we can make frequent trips back to the cave to check the treasure."

Cassandra's face was strained. "I'm afraid they may take it all, or spread the word about it."

James frowned in confusion. "I don't understand. Why didn't the Chinese merchants take the treasure with them when they found it? Why are you responsible for its safekeeping?"

Cassandra sighed. "I suppose the merchants thought I owed them some sort of favour after they let me on their ship. We had large amounts of treasure; too much for their ship to carry actually. So we sailed to the cave just off the coast of Jamaica and put the rest of the treasure there. They told me watch over it and that they'd come back in eight months for it."

"We should have taken more treasure," James deduced. "That way we could have kept it safe and you could have kept your end of the deal."

She raised hopeful eyes to him. "Do you think we could go back for it?"

James sighed tiredly and took off his hat. "Perhaps," he answered, massaging his forehead. "But it would take another story and another lie. We would be putting ourselves in risk again."

Cassandra felt a twinge of guilt. She knew this was causing not only James trouble, but the rest of the officers like Groves and Gillette. She watched as James rested his chin on his hand, looking solemnly out the window.

"I know that this is causing some trouble—for everyone," she said, eyes regretful. "I understand that what we're doing is risky but I want you to know that I'm eternally grateful for you helping me, James…. Thank you, James. I never properly thanked you for all you've done."

He studied her for a moment and then a slow, small smile appeared on his face. "I'm glad to help you. It's the least I can do after imprisoning you and stealing the heart." he said dryly.

Cassandra laughed and he smiled back at her.

His smile was strange, she realized. It was close-mouthed; reserved and controlled, yet warm and cheerful at the same time. The man could look as stoic and stiff as a soldier, and as relaxed and impish as a young boy at the same time.

They gave each other one last smile before turning away and settling into a comfortable silence.

When they reached Port Royal the rain settled into a light drizzle and James pulled the black curtains over the windows of the carriage.

Cassandra watched him carefully, wondering why he would be doing such a thing. Was it to hide the treasure? No, the treasure could not be easily seen from here. Something else suddenly occurred to her.

"You're ashamed to be seen with me, aren't you?" she whispered, hurt.

He turned to look at her, startled. "I…I…"

"It's all right, James you don't have to explain…" she murmured with a pained expression. Sympathy passed through his eyes. He looked as if he wanted to say something but settled back into his seat, looking very uncomfortable.

Cassandra shrunk deeper into the jacket wrapped around her, wishing it would swallow her up, away from this moment. She buried her face in the material, searching for comfort and solace. If she held onto it for longer, she would at least have something to keep, at least for a little while.

James took his hat and put it back on his head. He cleared his throat uncomfortably.

The carriage ride grew noticeably slower and Cassandra knew they were close to home. She shifted in her seat as she removed his jacket. She immediately felt the damp cold seep through her dress into her bones, and she disliked parting with the warm comfort of his jacket.

She took it in her hands and held it out to him. "Here." she said, waiting for him to take it.

He glanced at her and took it out of her hands. "Thank you…" he replied quietly. She watched as he slipped his arms into it, and noted his long, slim torso, outlined in the crisp white shirt and the beige, gold-lined vest.

He pulled the jacket tighter around him and straightened it out, smoothing it of wrinkles. The wrinkles she had created.

She was like a wrinkle, a nuisance. James was a nobleman, and he had to smooth his life of any marks or flaws that would jeopardize his reputation.

Maybe she was no better than a mistress. She thought back to the night on _The Black Pearl_ where they had shared those moments and that kiss. Sudden anger filled her and she curled her hand into a ball on the seat, hiding it within the folds of her skirt. He hadn't hesitated to touch her and kiss her on _The Black Pearl_…but now, in Port Royal, he didn't want her.

She looked at the black of the curtain and felt tears fill her eyes. _How could I have been such a fool? _she thought. She quickly blinked away her tears. She would not cry in front of him.

"I didn't mean to offend you, Cassandra…" he said suddenly. She couldn't find the will to look at him. "I was simply trying to protect us both."

The carriage slowed and Cassandra knew they were home. She got up from her seat, ready to leave.

"Cassandra…" he began just as the door opened and Jamison appeared.

"I understand completely." she answered coldly, not looking at him as she stepped down from the carriage without help from Jamison. Jamison moved out of the way, watching as she hurried away from the carriage toward the house.

* * *

Read and review if you like!


	7. Chapter 7 Invitations

Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean, its storyline or its characters.

To Love An Admiral

Chapter 7

Invitations

Cassandra had joined Adele to clean the fireplace in the library. It was a dirty job but someone had to do it.

As Adele carefully removed the grate and andirons from the fireplace, Cassandra looked around the library. She had not seen this room until now.

It was much like the other rooms in the house; richly decorated and elegant. Dark wood paneling covered the walls and within them were shelves of books. A small ladder rested against a bookshelf behind her. On the far left side of the room were four leather-covered chairs, situated around a coffee table. The seating area was just by the window of the house, allowing in enough light for daytime reading.

Reading.

This was the room that James and that woman, Evelyn had come out of the other day.

"Cassandra?" Adele's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Mhm?" Cassandra murmured dazedly.

Adele gave her a tired look. "Will you help me and stop daydreaming over there?"

"Oh…yes!" Cassandra said quickly, grabbing her brush and dipping it in the bucket of water.

Adele did the same and began to work on the soot coating the bricks of the fireplace. Cassandra scrubbed away at the soot, but her mind was elsewhere.

She wondered what _exactly _James and Evelyn had been doing. Had they been reading…or doing something more? A surge of jealousy rose within her.

Cassandra began to scrub the brick more vigorously, almost madly, her cheeks burning at all the possibilities going through her mind.

Adele noticed her behaviour. "Are you all right?" she asked, genuinely concerned.

Cassandra paused in her work and puffed up her cheeks, blowing air out. She stared at the brush for a few moments, and then answered firmly, "NO."

She went back to scrubbing, the brush moving quickly over the sooty brick. She could still feel Adele's eyes on her.

"Well, do you want to talk about it?" Adele asked.

"No…I'd rather not." Cassandra replied.

"All right…" Adele said reluctantly, turning back to her work.

After that the girls didn't talk; they only worked hard at scrubbing out the soot and sweeping out the dust from the fireplace. In the middle of their work, Peter, one of the gardeners, walked in.

"Cassandra, the Admiral wishes to see you in his office."

Cassandra's stomach fell. The last thing she wanted to do was talk to him.

She dropped her brush and rose to her feet.

"I bet you're in trouble..." Adele teased, looking up at her. "I bet it's from all that daydreaming you do. He's going to give you a proper tongue lashing, he is."

Cassandra gave her an exasperated look and walked out of the library toward James' office. His office was located at the back of the estate, just through the sitting room.

She neared the office and saw him through the open door, standing at the window with his hands behind his back. He was watching the rain as it streamed down the window in large rivulets. Outside the skies thundered. It had been a heavy downpour all day; a tropical hurricane.

He turned around, as if sensing her. His gaze fell down to her apron. "I see you've been busy cleaning out the fireplace…" he remarked.

Cassandra looked down at her white apron. It was covered in black soot, just like her hands. Out of habit, she wiped her hands on her apron but that made it even worse. "Oh, ah…y-yes…" she said nervously, trying to wipe the soot off her hands. She felt embarrassed that she was in front of him in such a dirty state. A reminder of her station.

"I called you in here because I have some matters I'd like to discuss."

Cassandra looked up, and then nodded stiffly. "All right." she said. She took a seat in the chair across from him and rubbed at her filthy fingers.

He sat down as well. "I understand you're angry with me…" he started.

She turned to look at him. "No I'm not…" she lied.

He didn't so much as flinch. "Don't lie to me Cassandra," he said evenly. "It's clear that you were angry with me. And you still are."

She raised her eyebrows at him, shrugging. "So? What if I am?"

He sighed in frustration. "Why are you being so difficult?"

She leaned forward. "Why are you being so inconsiderate of my feelings?" she retorted.

He looked her intently in the eyes, and she felt her stomach flutter. "If this is about me closing the curtains in the carriage, then you have to know that I never meant to hurt you…" he insisted calmly. "I only meant to protect us both."

"You mean you only meant to protect _yourself_." she corrected bitterly, looking away, arms crossed.

There was a moment of shocked silence from him.

"That's not true, Cassandra," James answered, jaw tight. Startled, she looked up at him and blinked, catching his heated stare. His green eyes were dark and intense, his mouth set in a straight line. "I was protecting you just as much as I was protecting myself… Do you know what kind of things people would have _said_ about you, because of your _gender_ and your _station_?"

"Yes, yes, they would say that I'm an immoral woman…" she sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Yes," James replied. He rose from his seat and walked over to the left side of the room. "But now that you have the means to be a woman of high society"- He walked over to an object covered in a dark red cloth. He pulled off the cloth to reveal the treasure, earning a gasp from Cassandra. "You don't have to worry about that, at least for the time being."

"So that's where you hid it," she mused. "It's perfect. Anyone would think it's just an ordinary chest."

"Precisely," he said. He threw the cloth back over the chest and walked toward his desk. "We need to discuss your plan in more detail though."

She looked up at him. "What do you mean? I thought we went over the basics."

He sat down and looked at her. "We did, but there's still the matter of explaining this to everyone." he reminded her.

"Oh…" she said, realization hitting her.

"Yes," he said. "We need a story, and a good one. I've been thinking hard about this and I came up with an idea." He paused.

She raised her eyebrows. "Yes?" she pressed.

"I can say that you're a family friend or perhaps a cousin…" he began. "that I've taken in. I've done this so I can introduce you to high society and help you manage your finances. I think it would be a plausible story…" he remarked.

Cassandra smiled. "A man offering to help his cousin out, how noble James." she teased.

He shrugged. "Why else would I allow a well-off female to stay at my estate? It's only proper."

She nodded. "Right. So…what will we tell the servants?"

"We'll tell them that you've come into an inheritance. You've found out that you have a distant uncle with quite a lot of wealth and influence…So now I'm helping you manage it."

Cassandra nodded. "So I'm a family friend. That sounds good to me…" she remarked, approving.

"Perfect," James replied. "Then we have a plan."

It went silent then and Cassandra wondered whether she should leave. But there was a knock at the door.

"Sir?"

James looked up and Cassandra looked over her shoulder.

There at the open door stood Edward with a paper in his hand. He glanced at Cassandra. "I hope I'm not interrupting you."

"No, no," James assured, shaking his head. He nodded. "Come in."

Edward walked over to the side of the desk and held out the paper. "This came for you just a few minutes ago, sir."

James took the paper. "Thank you."

As she looked closer, Cassandra could see that it was actually an invitation, with a red seal on the center.

Edward promptly left and James opened the invitation, silently reading it. Cassandra looked away, feeling like a busybody reading over someone's shoulder.

He put it down on his desk. "Well," he began. "It looks like we'll be attending a dinner party in honor of Lord Bryant and his family. They've just arrived in Port Royal."

Cassandra's heart leapt to her throat. "A-a d-dinner party?" she sputtered, eyes wide. "We're _both _going?"

"Yes, all the important people will be there—including Beckett."

* * *

AN: This chapter is a little bit short but I wanted to end it here, where she finds out that they're going to be seeing Beckett at a party. There's more to come. Sorry by the way if I didn't respond to any reviews, I can never remember if I did or not. But I usually do. Thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8 Preparation

Disclaimer: I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean. I just like writing stories about it for fun.

AN: I realized I hadn't updated this story in quite a few months! I'm busy because it's my graduating year but this story is still a priority. Thanks for all your reviews and thanks for taking the time to read my story. It really motivates me.

To Love An Admiral

Chapter 8

Preparation

That night, Cassandra's head was filled with thoughts of the upcoming dinner party. Questions and worries plagued her. What would it be like? What if she didn't know what to do? How would everyone react to her? Would they find out she was a fraud? See right through her façade?

_What will I be wearing? _she thought as she lay in bed and stared up at the ceiling. A flutter of excitement and anticipation started in her stomach. _I wonder what desserts they'll have there to eat…Will I dance and laugh and have fun? _

Although she was trying to save her father and that was her main goal, she couldn't help but think about these trivial things. It actually made her excited and happy. She felt happier than she had in a long time. Ever since the pirate attack on her hometown of Port York and since losing her parents, Cassandra had felt deeply depressed and hopeless.

It made matters lighter. In the middle of all the darkness, the hangings, the pirates, the villains, and the heartbreak, there was still light; those good moments you could treasure and enjoy, at least for a small time.

She closed her eyes and snuggled deeper into her bed, trying to calm her excited mind and fall asleep.

* * *

The next morning something unexpected happened. During the usual daytime chores, James called everyone into the front hall for an announcement. The servants gathered round as James stood in front of them, clearing his throat to speak.

"I have some news for all of you…" he began.

Cassandra's stomach fell when she realized he was announcing her recent inheritance. She knew that he had planned on telling everyone, but not in this way.

"A significant event has occurred recently and it will lead to some changes around here…" he paused and the servants started murmuring worriedly about job loss. "I thought it was only right that the household know about this so that everyone understands what exactly is happening… Miss Lockhart has recently come into quite an inheritance."

He caught Cassandra's gaze, and held it for a second. The servants gasped and turned around to look at her. Cassandra, not like being the center of attention, blushed. She looked down at her hands, timid.

"Miss Lockhart has discovered she has an estranged uncle in the family who is very wealthy," James continued. "A wealthy merchant. He has re-established ties with the family and bestowed Cassandra with quite a lot of money. At the time being, I am helping to manage her finances."

Mrs. Baker turned around and grasped her hands. "Oh bless you dear! That will help you and your family so much!"

Cassandra smiled but didn't feel it. A twinge of guilt started in her gut when she was reminded of the fact that she was using it for less honorable purposes.

"Yes…" she mumbled.

The rest of the servants crowded around her, congratulating her and asking her questions. Adele approached her with a smile.

"That's wonderful for you Cassandra…" she started. "You can be a proper lady now."

Cassandra pretended to look offended. "What? Am I not proper now?" she laughed.

"No, not really." Adele retorted smartly, with a smile.

The two women laughed and exchanged a sisterly hug.

"Just don't get too toffee-nosed." Adele added, patting her on the back.

Cassandra pulled away from her with an amused look. "Toffee-nosed?" she repeated, puzzled.

"Snobby…" Adele explained. "Highbrow…"

"Oh…I won't," Cassandra promised with a smile. "After all, you can't forget where you come from."

Despite the fact that she had received an "inheritance", Cassandra insisted on completing household chores around the house with the other servants. The servants found this rather endearing but it was clear that some resented her for her newfound luck. Some of the servants passed her jealous looks while others teased her about her wealth.

While dusting the silverware in the drawing room later that day, she was approached by James. She turned around to look at him, a silver pot and cloth in her hand.

He stood a few inches away, closer than he usually did, she noticed, with his hands behind his back.

"I've just remembered that you'll need a gown for the dinner party."

"Oh…yes! I completely forgot as well." she said, realization dawning on her.

"What colour would you like to wear?" he asked.

"Uh…blue maybe…" she answered.

James nodded. "Blue would suit you. Perhaps a light blue."

"Yes…" she said, suddenly confused by his apparent interest in what she would be wearing.

"Alright. Well, the dressmaker's assistant should be here soon. She'll take your measurements for the dress."

Cassandra blinked. "What? The dress?" She gasped. "You're not paying for it, are you James?"

"Yes," he answered simply. "I am."

Cassandra frowned, shaking her head. "But I have money for it. That was the whole point of this!"

"You need that money as proof of your wealth," James argued. "And you can't go to the dressmaker's shop, requesting a gown while dressed as a servant." he added, gesturing to her outfit.

Cassandra looked down at her uniform, smoothing her hands over it. "I guess you're right…" she said reluctantly.

There was a knock at the door and James turned.

"That must be the dressmaker's assistant. Come in."

Edward opened the door to let the assistant in. It was a woman, in her mid-forties with slight wrinkles and graying patches in her frizzy brown hair. She wore round spectacles on her face and had a discerning look about her. The woman immediately noticed James and gave a slight curtsey, which was awkward with the materials she carried in her hand. "Sir…" she said, bowing her head slightly.

"Madam." he responded, nodding.

She glanced at Cassandra, giving her a quick run-over. Then she looked back at James.

"Is this the model, sir?"

"No, it's the client." James answered simply.

The woman sputtered for a moment, looking back and forth between the two. "Oh…." She looked at James, confused.

"Miss Lockhart has discovered that she has a wealthy uncle in the family." James explained.

"Oh, my, my!" the assistant exclaimed. She looked at Cassandra. "That's quite nice…" she said.

Cassandra smiled. "Yes, it is."

"Now, let's get started, shall we?" The assistant set her pouch down on the arm of the couch and unrolled long measuring tape from inside it.

"And what shall we call you, madam?" James interjected.

The assistant looked at him and blinked. "Oh, I forgot! Forgive me for my bad manners. I'm Wilhelmina Birch."

"And I'm Cassandra." Cassandra offered with a smile.

"My, what a pretty name…" Wilhelmina remarked as she examined the measuring tape. "Stand up straight; I need to take your measurements."

Cassandra obeyed and Wilhelmina recorded her height, her hip measurement, her waist and finally her bust. Wilhelmina was quick and productive, already taking down notes for the dress order from James.

"…So the color of the dress will be light blue?" Wilhelmina inquired, quill at the ready, eyes patient behind her large spectacles.

"Yes." James answered.

"I need a specific shade of blue. Perhaps sky blue? Caribbean blue?"

James looked confused. "Um…sky blue I suppose."

Wilhelmina scribbled this information down. "And will there be any trimmings like lace or pearls or any extras like buttons…?" she pressed.

James met Cassandra's gaze. "Perhaps you should ask Miss Lockhart. Whatever the cost, I'll pay for it."

Wilhelmina nodded and turned to Cassandra. "Alright then. So what will it be, Miss?"

Cassandra tried to picture the gown in her mind, and the gowns she had admired on countless ladies before. "Mhm, let's see…Lace. On the collar, a square collar"-

"Alright, have to mark that down…" Wilhelmina interrupted.

"And lace on the sleeves as well."

Wilhelmina looked up, raising her eyebrows. "That's it?" she said, surprised. "No ruffles, anything else?"

"Uh…no. No, I think that's it." Cassandra replied.

"What about hair pieces? Feathers? Barrettes?" Wilhelmina prodded. "A bird cage on top of your hair?" she joked. Some women were ridiculously extravagant with their wigs and hairstyles.

"Um…no thank you." Cassandra said, smiling.

"And that's it?" Wilhelmina said.

Cassandra nodded. "That's it."

"Well, you're certainly a simple yet elegant woman," Wilhelmina remarked. "You've made my job that much easier Cassandra. You wouldn't believe some of the requests I get from ladies." She gave an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes, making Cassandra laugh.

The dressmaker's assistant walked over to James and for a few moments they talked in low voices, too low for her to hear.

The only piece of the conversation that floated over to Cassandra was: "I suggest pearls…" This confused her because she had mentioned nothing about pearls.

James nodded and Wilhelmina packed up her things. "I'll take this to the dressmaker and the dress should be sent over in a week for a fitting."

"Perfect," James said. "Thank you Ms. Birch."

"It was my pleasure, sir." Ms. Birch smiled at both James and Cassandra before leaving.

When she was gone, James turned to Cassandra. "Now time for your etiquette lessons."

She looked at James for a moment, wondering if she had heard right. "Etiquette lessons?" Cassandra repeated.

"Yes, etiquette lessons. I'm teaching you how to dine and converse politely at the dinner table." James explained. He strode to the door. Cassandra found it hard to move one foot—she was not looking forward to this at all. She could just envision a dull afternoon filled with rules and routines.

As she was despairing over her coming afternoon, she heard someone clear their throat loudly. She looked up to see James waiting impatiently at the open door.

She sighed, her shoulders drooping noticeably as she sulked toward the door. James noticed. "Do try to contain your excitement and joy, Cassandra." he teased. She passed him a deadly look as she walked through the door. James smiled wickedly.

* * *

The first lesson of the day was table manners. Cassandra and James sat in the dining room, eating a midday meal of bean soup, salad, crackers and sweets. James sat at the head of the table with Cassandra to his side. Matilda, a servant, walked in with the tray of soup. She set down other things as well like spoons, a teapot and teacups, and then left, shutting the door behind her. This left them in the closed privacy of the dining room- it was just her and him.

The bean soup looked delectable: the broth was an amber-gold colour and full of nutritious carrots, onions, beans and potatoes. A sprig of fresh parsley sat on the corner of the bowl. Cassandra was eager to dive into the food but James' admonishment stopped her mid-bite.

"No slouching." he instructed.

She paused and looked up, spoon in mid-air. She could now see that he was closely watching her from where he sat, green eyes trained on her. It was as if he was observing something foreign and new to him. She suddenly blushed and leaned back in her seat, embarrassed to be watched under such close quarters.

She pushed her back against the seat and looked at him. He was sitting properly: back straight with his spoon in his hand.

His gaze moved down her form. "Sit up straight," he added. She obeyed and straightened her back, but didn't like the stiffness of the form. "Shoulders back."

Cassandra pulled her shoulders back and reached for the soup with her spoon again. But she found it very hard to keep perfectly still and straight. James, on the other hand, was the perfect gentleman. He dined effortlessly, keeping his back straight as a rod and his movements as fluid and smooth as a watercourse. It probably came naturally to him though, as he was probably taught table manners like this as a young boy.

She finally did bring the spoon up to her mouth and relished in the soup—a little too much.

"And no slurping either." he said, not looking at her.

Cassandra blushed darker this time, wiping at her mouth rather sheepishly. "Right." she said. By the time they got to the salad and crackers, Cassandra was improving and James commended her on it.

"Good, you're learning…" he remarked, before taking a sip of tea. He set the teacup down on its saucer. "Now, onto dinner conversation. It would be wise to stay quiet throughout dinner. But if someone does address you, then keep the conversation light and short. Someone might ask you about your favourite pastime or talent. So be prepared to fabricate stories."

"If they ask me to…perform a song or something," Cassandra started. "Then I could just say that I'm shy or something like that, right?"

"Yes…" James answered, nodding. "Something like that. You can't let them know you're not a noble."

She nodded, more to assure herself than him. Her stomach had started to twist in a horrible and uncomfortable way.

"James..." she said suddenly. "I'm nervous. Very nervous." She passed him a worried look and he gazed at her for a moment. Then he smiled understandingly and reached over to give her arm a light squeeze. Cassandra was surprised at the action- because of his normally reserved nature and because of the effect it had on her.

"Don't worry, you'll do just fine. And I'll be there to help you if something goes wrong." he assured.

His hand stayed a moment longer. Cassandra didn't want him to pull it away. His hand was warm, so intoxicatingly warm and reassuring that when he did pull it away it jolted her out of her distracted state.

She blinked and smiled at him. "Yes. Of course." she answered distractedly.

He smiled and went back to eating, but not without offering her further advice about table etiquette. "Also remember that overeating is seen as unladylike. Be careful about how much you eat, especially sweets. They can be very critical of you."

Cassandra pouted. "Are you saying that I'm eating too many sweets?" she asked, hurt.

James smiled and gestured to the tray. It was covered in a lace doily and various sweets. "Well, you certainly _enjoyed_ the sweets, I can tell you that..." he trailed off and Cassandra looked down at her sticky fingers. "But since aristocrats are soulless, heartless people it will do no good to have you enjoying too many sweets. It will be disgraceful."

Cassandra sighed and wiped her fingers on the red serviette.

* * *

Later that day, James left for business at the fort. After lunch he had told Cassandra that she would dine with him at night, much to her displeasure. He called Mrs. Baker and Adele to spend the rest of the day with Cassandra, teaching her how to curtsy, how to politely converse, and how to play an instrument. The three women had a lot of fun curtsying and holding silly conversations over tea. But Cassandra had failed miserably at learning the piano. Keys rang out discordantly as she tapped on them.

Adele couldn't help but giggle as Mrs. Baker pushed her on. "Go on, keep trying," she said. She flipped the music page over. "Try to read the notes." They had called in Edward, who had a novice understanding of music.

Cassandra tried again but the keys sounded jarring and unpleasant. She sighed and made a face, rising from the piano seat. "That's it. I've had enough pretending for one day. I'm getting ready for dinner."

"That's a good idea. The Admiral will be home soon." Mrs. Baker remarked, glancing at the window where the sky was turning a dusky pinkish- orange.

Cassandra left the room without so much as a thank you, forgetting her manners in her dark mood. Pretending to be someone else was taking its toll on her. She was exhausted from a day of mindless curtseying and chatter, and angry and upset because she felt inadequate to be a noble.

She stepped into the dim light of her room and shut the door. Undoing her hair from its tight bun, she brushed it out as she stared in the mirror at herself. She looked angry and unhappy, and at the moment she wished for nothing more than her mother to be there with her. Cassandra would be able to tell her everything and her mother would sit and listen, assuring and encouraging her.

After fixing her hair, Cassandra walked over to her bedside table, and cleaned her face and hands in the wash basin. Then she went downstairs to meet James for dinner.

Cassandra waited for James in the dining room. All the silverware and tableware was set out neatly. White candles burned softly in the dim light of evening. The drapes on the window were open, allowing Cassandra to see the darkening blue sky and light rain. The window offered a pleasant view of the lawn, the high stone fence and the grassy hills beyond Port Royal.

Twenty minutes later James walked in. He was slightly wet from the rain, raindrops staining his dark uniform and skin. He looked at her and quietly shut the door behind him. "I apologize," he said, walking to his seat. "There was quite a commotion at the fort today with executions…" he trailed off. Her stomach fell.

"I hope I don't get executed…" she remarked jokingly, unfolding her napkin.

"Don't be absurd," he admonished. "You'll be fine, I promise. Your plan will work." His green eyes were so honest and comforting that Cassandra actually felt a little bit better.

She nodded silently, and Matilda came in with dinner.

"How was your day?" he asked conversationally.

Cassandra looked up at him. "Good," she answered. "Adele and Mrs. Baker helped me with my…other lessons today. It was fun…unlike your lessons." she added cleverly. She took a delicate sip of her tea and smiled sweetly at him over the rim to see a slow smirk lift his lips.

"I heard that your piano playing needs quite a bit of work," he shot back. Cassandra blushed and looked down at her food. "I would have loved to have heard it."

Cassandra laughed and looked up at him. "I'm sure you would have."

He smiled at her, his green eyes bright with amusement and enjoyment. Something she hadn't seen in a long time, and something she herself also hadn't experienced in a while.

Dinner continued on that night with light, playful conversation, and Cassandra did not slouch even once. By the end of the night her dark mood had lifted and as they were rising from their seats, she asked him, "Can we go for a walk outside?"

James looked up at her, surprised. "Yes…that seems like a fine idea," he remarked. He paused and glanced toward the window. "It looks like the rain has cleared."

They stepped out into the garden, located at the very back of the house. It was small compared to other gardens but impressive nonetheless. A large stone fountain sat in the middle of the lawn. The stone pathway circled around the lawn. Bushes and flowers adorned the bottom edges of the wall.

Cassandra looked up at the sky. It was dark and cloudless, with a full, bright moon in the sky. She could even see a few stars, despite the light pollution of the city.

"It's a beautiful night." James remarked softly, echoing her thoughts.

"Yes, absolutely beautiful…" she agreed. They walked in silence along the stone path; Cassandra with her hands folded in front of her, James with his folded behind his back. The only sounds were James' heeled shoes tapping on the path and the gurgling of the water fountain.

Cassandra stopped at the rose bush, enchanted by the ruby red petals. She reached forward to touch one but got pricked by the thorns.

"Ow!" she cried, pulling her hand away and cradling it.

"Are you all right?" James asked, stepping around her. She looked at him and let her hand fall.

"Yes…"

He nodded to her hand. "You should make sure to clean that tonight. You don't want to get infection."

She nodded and he stepped up to the rose bush, expertly plucking one of the roses off. He turned to her and offered her the rose. She accepted it, her heart fluttering.

"You have to watch for the thorns…" James told her with a smile. Cassandra chuckled and twirled the rose between her fingers, touching its soft petals. They continued walking around the garden until they came to the fountain. Both stared into the water, watching it splash and ripple.

James put his hands behind his back. "I'm glad things haven't changed…between us." he admitted.

Cassandra turned to him. "What do you mean?" she asked, confused.

"I mean…that things haven't changed since we were on _The Black Pearl_," he explained. He turned to look at her. "We formed a friendship. We had an understanding of each other."

Cassandra took a moment to absorb his words, staring pensively at the water fountain. "You'll never know how grateful I am to you, James…As your friend…" she trailed off, looking at him.

"It's what friends do for each other." James replied.

Cassandra shook her head. "If only there were some way I could thank you…Some way I could repay you."

He shook his head this time. "Your friendship is enough, Cassandra."

Cassandra sighed, knowing she would get no further with him. After another moment's pause, she asked him a question. "James?" she began, suddenly breathless. Good God, why was her heart beating so fast?

"Yes?" he said.

She swallowed hard. _Just ask him_, she told herself. Robert's words echoed in her head, urging her on. She took a deep breath before speaking. "Do you remember…that night on _The Black Pearl_?"

* * *

AN: Thought I'd end it there. A cliffhanger is always good! How is everyone? I hope that summer has been just as sunny and relaxing for you as it has been for me!


End file.
